Flying Forward
by Fanaticfudge
Summary: Sophie Tremlett never understood why she would fall for a Slytherin. She also never understood the affect it would cause. OC/RB
1. Forth Year Part 1

I smile goofily at the slytherin table. His lips move as he talks easily with his cousin, Narissa Black, their heads are bowed together with matching frowns dawning their faces. From what I've heard, Andromeda Black had married the muggleborn, Ted Tonks, it had caused quite a stir this morning when the Owls flew in containing the news. The Blacks are known for their 'blood-purity' beliefs, with the exception of Sirius. On the Gryfindor table, Sirius had all but jumped for joy while the exact opposite happened on the slytherin table, Regulus and Narissa Black looked devastated and humiliated as the slytherins whispered about the event. I didn't care, Andromeda can do whatever she wants. I stare at Regulus as he whips his head around and glares at Sirius who gives him a cheeky mocking smile. A nudge from my side brings me back to reality.

'Staring at the youngest Black Sophie?' Whispers my best friend Florence Vance, 'staring at his, what do you say?' she raises an sharp blonde eyebrow, 'his luscious black locks and wonderful physique.' She smiles at me playfully before rolling her eyes and scanning the Gryffindor table for Sirius Black, 'I don't know what you see in him. A slimy slytherin if I ever saw one, bent on world domination.' She winks at me. 'However, his older brother...' She closed her eyes. 'Mmmm... He is ravishing.' She opens her light blue eyes and stares across at the Gryfindor table at Sirius, James, Remus and Peter are laughing about something or another. They always seem to be laughing.

'He's a year older than us.' I whisper giggling. 'He's practically ancient, at least Regulus is our age. Anyway, why would he go for a lowly Ravenclaw like yourself. And a forth year nonetheless' Flo smacks me on the arm. 'I'm kidding.' I keep the smirk out of my voice. 'I guess we're both just pining for boys we can't have.'

'Well I'm not.' Flo laughs and sips her pumpkin juice before heaping potatoes on her blue rimmed plate. 'Check out the food they have tonight.' She says. My tummy grumbles as I start scooping up some cottage pie. 'I bet it's only becuase it's the first week of school. They have to make a good impression on the newbies, can't have them running of to their parents on the first few days.' I gave an unladylike snigger as I look down the table towards the first years. 'Look at them, all huddling in a little pack.' Flo throws a secretly pleased look in my direction, she loves making people laugh, it's a specialty of hers.

'So...' Flo whispers leaning forwards, 'anything happen yet. Any juicy gossip of the summer holidays I need to know about.' She throws a sideways conspiracy look at a seventh year sitting near us.

I shake my head. 'Nope, except I heard that Bertha Jorkins saw the supposed Gringotts dragon, it apparently ate her guide goblin and she had to fight for survival.' I said with sarcasm, Flo rolls her eyes. I shoot an exasperated look towards the hufflepuff table where the seventh year Bertha was giving a play-by-play action of what happened to her diminishing audience of first years. I snort at her arms dramatically failing around.

'It's not true, is it?' I raise an 'are you kidding me' eyebrow at Flo, who shrugs and looks sheepish. 'Just in case.'

'It isn't true. Her cart just stopped working for about a minute and the goblin had to jump down and fix it.' I shake me head. 'It's so obvious she's lying. Why does she keep doing it?' I ask rhetorically. It's well-known that Bertha is an attention seeker.

Flo eyes me. 'I don't know why you just keep all this stuff to yourself, if I were you I would go and tell the world. It's amazing.' She starts piling her dessert in another plate. 'And it sure is handy in tests.'

I roll my eyes. 'Yeah but I only know some things. And it's really frustrating sometimes.' I've been able to know things ever since I did my first accidental magic.

By 'knowing things' I mean that I have a feeling of what's going to happen, like how I knew about Bertha Jorkins lie. As soon as I heard about it I immediatly knew she lied and what actually happened. I would know what would be on tests before they were handed out, that was probably a reason I was out in Ravenclaw. I would know little things, like what Professor Dumbledore will be wearing tomorrow, a midnight blue cloak with moons on it, what Sirius Black's next girlfriend will be, I would only know silly things, nothing that was particularly important. No one knew about it, no one except Flo, and Flo only knew because I told her after her first boyfriend dumped her and she needed blackmail material. It was odd bringing it up, I never mentioned it before because I would only know silly things and I couldn't really bring it up in a conversation unless someone asked about it and they never do.

Flo nods empathically, 'anything new on the defence against the dark arts professor?' She asks looking up at the heads table. Professor Baldwin, the new defence of the dark arts teacher, is an old humped back man with stringy grey hair. 'How long do you think he'll last?' Flo looks at me.

'All year. Something big will happen after Christmas holidays though.' I shrug. 'I don't know what though. It involves a student.'

Flo's eyes widen comically, her eyebrows raise. 'I didn't know he was into that sought of business.' She whispers with a growing smile, giving the professor a shady look at the same time. She gives a jerking head nod towards Professor Bladwin. 'You know... Old man, student.' She slowly nods trying to clue me in. She lets out a snicker. I give a groan of disgust as I realise.

'Merlin Flo.' I roll my eyes as my smile grows wider. 'You're traumatising me. He's an old man.'

'Exactly.' She nods trying to look wise. We look at each other before we both crack up

As we calm down we finish our dinner in conversation. 'You done?' I ask.

'Yeah.' Flo says. We both stand up. Immediatly our plate dissapears, a moment later it reappears clean. 'I need help on the arithmancy homework anyway. Professor Vector is a slave driver.' We walk towards the great staircase.

'You don't need my help, you're going to get an A star anyway.' I jump over a trick step. Flo smiles smugly. 'Come on,' I drag her up the stairway. 'Race you to the top.' I grin and start sprinting.

—

The days passed in a blur and before I knew it, it was the Christmas holidays. I spent my weekdays with my parents lazing around and doing nothing in our small cottage, during the weekends Flo and I hung out by either walking in London or Diagon alley, sometimes her elder sister, Emmeline Vance, would join us to keep an eye on us. Emmeline was training to be an auror which was a lot of hard work so her Christmas holidays were sacred to her, she would either rest all day or shout that she needs to acquaintance herself with the civilised world again since she's been locked up in the ministry for so long.

On Christmas Day I opened my presents with my family before flooing to Flo's house to give her my present. We had a tradition of whoever finished opening presents first would floo to the other persons house and exchange presents. This year I had gotten Flo 2 tickets to Glastonbury festival which lasts for three days. We could obviously sneak in, asking our parents to put an illusion on us but Flo loves doing things the muggle way since she's a pureblood and haven't been exposed to much muggle culture before.

I tumble out the Vance's fireplace in a ungrateful heap. I stand up red faced and brush the soot of my shoulder. Flo is sitting on a vintage-condition white sofa with the bronze beautifully carved floo pot in her hand.

'I was about to floo you.' Flo says standing up and placing the floo pot on the detailed mantel. We hug each other squealing about what we got for each other.

'I already know that I'm going to like your present.' I say grinning as I took it from her outstretched hand. The wrapping paper was gold with Christmas trees that had a metallic blue outline. It was clear that Flo's family was rich even from their wrapping paper.

'Oh come on.' Flo moans. 'You can at least pretend you don't know what it is.' She takes my poorly wrapped present from me.

'Is it...' I take a deep breath. 'A gold and blue vintage watch that doesn't only tell the time but also has the moon cycles on it and is spelled so I can't lose it?'

Flo nods hanging her head in mock defeat. 'You've done it. You've guessed right again.' She shakes her head and looks at me, her blue eyes filled with determination and happiness 'One day I'm going to catch you out.'

'One day.' I agree. We rip open our presents at the same time even though I want to savour the wrapping paper, a clean crisp white rectangular box sits in my palm and I open it. Inside is a gold and blue vintage watch, a faint tick tock noise reaches my eyes as the big hand moves, underneath the centre of the clock there's a little number '23'

'It's beautiful.' I say. It must have been expensive. 'I never knew it was going to be this pretty. Thankyou so much. It must have cost a fortune.'

Flo shrugged. 'Have to spend the money on something, why not the best.' She smiled, 'the '23' stands for the days up to the full moon.' She waves my present around, the muggle concert tickets gleaming in her hand. They had been hard to get hold of, luckily I had an insider. 'And this...' She raises her eyebrows. 'This is AMAZING!' She jumps up and down before hugging me tightly. 'I love it. How did you know that I wanted these?' I raised an eyebrow and laughed. 'Oh yeah, silly question.' She ran her hand through the her golden blonde hair. 'Thank you, my parents wouldn't let me go to these bad boys, says its " dangerous and too fast"' she makes a face while she does the quotation marks. Flo gives the tickets a dramatic flourishing kiss. 'I think I'm in love.' She stares dreamily into them.

I spin her around, 'the only problem is,' Flo immediatly stops and looks at me with wide eyes. 'They're in June. But, the concert is one of the biggest world wide so...' I gave her a smirk, 'it's pretty good, I also got us the whole three days!' Flo lets out a squeal.

'Where is it?' She asks doing a little dance in the middle of the room on the Persian carpet.

'Glastonbury.' I say. 'It's going to be SO MUCH FUN!' We jump around like idiots.

'Oh merlin!' Flo says. I look at her. 'We need to know what we're wearing, pronto.' We look at each other seriously before giggling, Flo grabs my hand, 'come on Sophie, let's see our choices.' I grin in happiness as I got pulled up the stairs, Flo talking continuously.


	2. Forth Year Part 2

Christmas had gone with the wind and now it's only a week away from the Easter holidays. The Ravenclaw common room was full of people studying for the exams, a group of seven years were by the fire scribbling furiously, occasionally asking for help or advice, they had been studying there since the winter holidays. Flo and I were sitting on a circular wooden table in the corner of the common room by the bookshelf that was neally empty by all the books being taken out.

'One day, that'll be us.' Flo says gloomily as she looks at the seventh years, then at her transfiguration homework, the parchment had ink blots dotted all over it. Flo banged her head on the table and groaned. 'Please tell me you know what's going to be in the exam.' Flo looked up at me with weary hopeful eyes.

'I've told you, it's everything that we've learnt this year.' I continue scribbling down how transforming spells are adapted when performing cross-species switches. 'Well...' I grinned, 'it won't include the stuff we learnt at the beginning of the year though.'

Flo leaned back into her chair. 'Thank merlin. I can hardly remember anything from the first few weeks.' She groaned and picked up her quill again. 'I'm getting old. My memory is having a losing battle.' Flo frowned at her ink splattered parchment. 'I forgot the spell to repeal ink dots. What was it again?'

'Impervius? I think.' I rubbed my drowsy eyes and looked out the window, the only light was from the full moon, otherwise it was dark outside. 'It's getting really late.' I whispered to Flo as she waved her wand and all the ink blots faded. She shook her quill over her parchment but the ink seemed to fly anywhere but there.

'Look!' She grinned at me happily and waves her parchment around. 'This repeals the ink now. This spell is awesome.' Flo looks at her wand and hugs it to her chest. 'My eyes are opened to a new world of no messed up homework.' She looks at me with wide eyes and raised eyebrows. 'Open your eyes Sophie. Open your eyes.'

'I can barely keep my eyes open.' I say as I yawn. 'I really need to finish this though.' I looked at my half-finished essay. The common room was still packed though all the younger years had already gone to bed. 'I might go down to the kitchens and get some coffee.'

Flo and I had found the kitchens last year when we came across an older year hufflepuff tickling a portrait of a pear. Since then whenever we were up late finishing homework we went to the kitchens and got some hot chocolate. None of the other Ravenclaws saw when we took it to the common room since they would always be studying and wouldn't pay us much mind.

'Yeah.' Flo yawned and stands up stretching. 'Get me some too please.' She gives me a knowing nod.

'Yeah, yeah, I know.' I roll my eyes. 'Milky, no sugar but loads of cream. I only forgot that one time.'

'And that time was the worst time of them all.' Flo sank back down and frowned. 'Why did I stand up again?' She looks at me questionly. 'On yeah. I needed to find a book.' She stands up again. 'See ya. Remember my order.' She looks out the window. 'Oh cool! Sophie there's a full moon.'

I lightly bump my fist against her shoulder. 'I saw. Okay, coming back in twenty minutes tops.' I knock on the bronze eagle knocker and the wooden door leading out of our common room opens. I give Flo one last smile before leaving, she gives me a cheery wave.

I walk in the shadows of the fith corridor keeping out of sight, occasionally I brush against a sleeping portrait who then shouts obscenitys at me. Great tall Windows allow the full moon to shower me in its silvery light as my footsteps echo down the corridor. The darkness surrounded me and the quietness settled my rattling heart.

Suddenly a blur bumps into me and grabs my shoulders. A head of dark black hair and handsome aristocratic features hit me hard. Regulus?

'Have you seen them?' It's Sirius Black, Regulus's older brother. His face is haggard and worried, his dark eyes reflect guilt. What's he doing at this time of night? The hands on my shoulders tighten and a almost maniacal look on his face appears. Hard cold breath sounds and his hair is limp and stringy infront of his face. Rumpled Gryfindor pyjamas dawn his body as if he had just gotten out of bed.

'S-seen who?' I stammer. It's not every night that you bump into a worried Sirius Black.

'James and Snape.' He whispers harshly. 'Where are they?' His eyes glint madly.

'I don't know. I haven't seen them. Sorry.' I say shocked. Sirius lets out a grunt of frustration and swears before pushes himself away and running down the corridor. 'Wait!' I shout after him. 'What's happening? What's going on?' But he doesn't hear me and he fades into the darkness.

All my life I have never even uttered a word to Sirius Black and now suddenly I see him in the middle of the night looking desperate. Also why was he looking for James and Snape? Sirius always knows where James is, they act like they're joined at the hip. And why was he looking for Snape? He hates Snape. I shook my head and look out the window.

Moonlight floods into the corridor, bathing me in a silvery glow. Outside I can see the forbidden forest and the Great Lake where ripples form in the middle, everything is silver and dark, the grass looks like a sea of dark silvery-green. I start to move away before I come to a adbrupt stop.

There is a figure on the path that leads to the shrieking shack. Actually two figures. Both of them running towards the castle. I take in a head of messy black hair and another hair of greasy hair before I'm running to meet them.

I rush down the great staircase just as I got to the third floor landing I see a figure running up the staircase. It's Snape with James Potter in tow trying to catch up with him. We see each other at the same time. I hear James shout out 'No!' Just as Snape reaches me.

It's the second time I'm grabbed by the shoulders tonight but this time it's far more unpleasant. Snape's scared but eerily happy grin looms above me. His greasy hair touches the tip of my nose. He pants hot ugly breaths in my ear as I try not to let it affect me.

'Remus Lupin.' Snape grins nastily like he had gotten exactly what he wanted 'Is a vicious monster. He's a werewolf. Where do you think he goes everynight? That monster tried to kill me tonight! Tried to rip me in pieces!' He shakes me and laughs with a dangerous look in his eye just as James bowls him over with a rugby tackle.

There's a furious struggle of kicks and punches; wands forgotten, as I stand there in shock as James and Snape start an ugly muggle brawl on the floor one feet away from me. I always knew something was wrong with Remus, I just didn't know what. Remus Lupin, the quiet polite boy in the marauders. The boy who had once smiled at me in the library, the boy who I actually had a crush on in first year before I had gotten to see the Beauty of Regulus. He can't be a werewolf. But then again, he was always ill, always coming back with injuries, he has three scars on his face, tonight is a full moon, Sirius was looking for James and Snape. I look at Snape who has a bloody nose by now, he must have found out and told the first person who he came across, which was me.

Suddenly I'm besides the two fighting fith years trying to pull them apart. James is shouting insults at Snape while he's shouting how Remus was a monster. I'm shouting at them to stop. Snape has a bloody nose but he still shouts even though every time he opens his mouth blood pours in, in the end he starts spitting wads of blood at us. James is clearly winning the fight, he's kicking and punching Snape with only a swollen eye to account for.

'Stop!' A voice roars. Dumbledore appears with Sirius on the landing of the third floor where we are. They both at us with pale faces, Sirius looks guilty and hangs his head. James and Snape split up, immediatly Sirius goes to stand with James but James moves away not looking at Sirius only shaking his head. Snape looks gleeful while Sirius looks heartbroken.

'Sir!' Snape begins. He's still splitting blood everywhere. 'Remus Lupin is a werewolf. He's in the shrieking Shack. He's a monster. And they knew about it.' He points an accusing crooked finger in James and Sirius's direction. 'That monster tried to kill me! He has to be executed. We have to tell the ministry. He's a rabid-'

Dumbledore holds up a hand and Snape stops half way, only then I realise that Snape looks clearly scared. He must have met Remus in wolf form. I hold a hand to my mouth in horror. James looks at me in horror as if he's just realising I'm here, so does Sirius.

James looks at Dumbledore. 'No!' He shouts, 'Don't send Remus away. He didn't mean it.' Then he turns to Snape and levelled his wand at him. 'It was only because you poked your greasy crooked nose where it wasn't your business sniverllus.' James snarls at Snape and glares just as Snape brings his wand up.

'Stop!' Dumbledore roars again. 'This has gone to far.' There's none of that famous twinkle in his eye that Dumbledore is known for. His voice doesn't sound like the voice of an old man, it sounds like that voice of someone who is truly angry at what has happened. 'We shall discuss this in my office. Follow me.' He strides ahead and neally disappears before I'm coherent enough to follow him.

I walk a little way behind Sirius and James, Snape is a little way behind me. Sirius keeps opening his mouth as if he's trying to tell James something but by the look on James face he shuts it. The look on his face when it happens is so sad. I wonder what happened? Why is James so mad at Sirius? James looks behind himself and sees me, immediatly he stares at me with suspicion, he thinks I'm going to tell everyone I come across. The only I would tell would be Flo and I don't think she would mind that much, she just wouldn't hang around Remus afterwards. She was raised in a plueblood family who were very traditional in some beliefs.

I glanced away from James inquisiting stare and looked at the walls as we moved. I haven't even thought about Flo since I met Sirius a few minutes earlier. Would Flo be looking for me in the fith corridor? Or would she just forget and fall asleep by the fire, it wouldn't be the first time she had done it. I touched my face and in the silvery moonlight I saw something red and glistening on the finger. Snapes blood and spit. I flinched.

Suddenly a howl cut through the air, James and Sirius stopped and looked out the window. Snape moved on with a disgusted snort and muttered something underneath his breath. I froze and stood next to James by the window. Another howl cuts through the end, it's full of pain, I see James wince and Sirius look even guiltier than before.

Remus is doing that. That is Remus howling. Remus is a werewolf. Suddenly I feel like I can't breathe, Remus is the one howling in pain because he's a werewolf. I never knew I was in shock until right now. My fingers dig half-moons into my palms as I let out a small sob. I don't know why I'm crying but I am. Maybe it's the shock of everything tonight. James looks at me again as Sirius just looks so self-pitying. I wonder what he's done. We continue our footsteps echoing in synchronisation.

Dumbledore comes to a stop next to a gargoyle in the middle of the third floor. My silent tears have gone leaving in its place red eyes.

'Phoenix fudge.' Dumbledore says clearly. The gargoyle shifted with a deep groan that came from the depth of the stone and revealed and spiralling staircase. 'Come along.' Dumbledore says as he climbs the stairs.

We reach a magnificent oak door that Dumbledore pushes open with surprising strength. His office is full of odd instruments, some were creaking and whirling while others were emitting puffs of smoke, some were just there and seemed to do nothing. On the walls were portraits of all the headmasters and headmistresses who were now waking up and looking at us disprovingly. On a shelf beyond Dumbledores desk sat the sorting hat, without it talking it looked just like a normal hat.

Sirius and James looked around unimpressed, they've been here so many times before. Snape however was looking around in wonder like me, when he caught me watching him he sneered.

Dumbledore gestured at the comfy red armchairs and we all sank down. I placed my head in my hands. I only went to get some coffee and then this happened. I didn't even reach the kitchens. Silence settled.

'Miss Tremlett.' Dumbledore sits down at his desk and lowers his glasses at him. 'Where do you come into this?' His voice is stern. I swallow loudly. Everyone's eyes were on me.

'Well...' I look around at anything but Dumbledore. James and Sirius were looking at me curiously, Snape looked like he couldn't care less. 'I was studying late with my friend Flo-'

'Mis Florence Cooper?' Dumbledore asks. I nod, no one ever calls Flo by her real name.

'Yeah, we were really tired so I went to get us coffee from the kitchens.' My hands entangle themselves in each other in nervousness. 'Then I came across Sirius and he looked really scared and he kept asking me where James and Snape were. So, I, uh, told him I didn't know where they were and he, like, ran off. Probably looking for them.' I rubbed my eyes, what time was it? It must've been an hour since I went to get coffee.

'Then once he left I looked out the window and I saw James chasing Snape. Um, so, I saw how worried Sirius was over them so I went downstairs and tried to catch them and ask what was going on.' I took a deep breath. 'I caught them on the third landing of the staircase and that was when Snape told me Remus was a...' I looked up at the ceiling before looking at Dumbledore. 'A... You know... Like... A werewolf. Snape said Remus was a werewolf.' I say with conviction. 'Remus is a werewolf.' I say again. 'And then he talks about how he was neally killed or something, then James comes and they start fighting. That's when you and Sirius found us.'

'Is that all?' Asks Dumbledore, he leans forward and looks at me like he was trying to see into my soul.

I look away and nod. As I look away I catch Snape sneering, but it looks forced, adbrupty I realise Snape's scared, he's just trying to cover it up. James is looking at Sirius, not glaring but looking more hurt, as if Sirius had betrayed his trust, or someone close to hims trust while Sirius is looking so sad and selfpitying as if he had done something wrong and he knew he could never make it up to himself.

Suddenly it came to me, just like that, Sirius self-pitying look, Snapes scared sneer and James betrayed glance woke me up and now I know what has happened, I gasped. Sirius played a prank on Snape, Sirius told Snape where to find Remus on a full moon. James saved Snape from Remus. I turn swiftly and look at Sirius disgustedly.

'How could you!' My voice is strong and filled with thick emotion. The night is catching up with me. 'Remus trusted you and now you go and tell the first person you see. You tell the one person that you know will go and see if it's true, will go and seek the werewolf out. You're so lucky that James realised. You're so damn lucky that Snape wasn't killed. And you should wish that you'll be this lucky when Remus wakes up in the morning and realises what you've done. You'll wish that you'll be this lucky when Remus is facing an EXECUTION BECAUSE OF WHAT YOUVE DONE TO HIM!' Sirius looks like a scolded dog. 'You have great friends and you throw it away just like that! I can't believe you.' I shake my head. 'I just can't.' I sit back down, I never knew I stood up.

There's silence for a long time after that. Sirius stares at his feet and doesn't look at anyone. James and Snape are staring at me with mixed emotions, there's defiantly shock in there. Sirius doesn't realise the friends he has. I've only got one friend, Flo, and I treasure her so much because of it. Sirius on the other hand just throws them away like broken toys.

Finally the silence is broken by Dumbledore.

'How did you know Mr Black played a prank on Mr Snape?' He looks at me inquisitly. 'I'm sure both of them never told you. How did you know that it was Mr Potter that saved Mr Snape? How did you know all that?' Dumbledore says quietly.

I stare at him in shock. Do I have to tell him I just 'know' things now. I'll sound like I'm crazy.

'When I met Sirius I heard him muttering it as he ran away looking for them.' I say as convincingly as I could. Dumbledore nods and I let out a silent breath of relief. Sirius finally looks up and stare at me long and hard. I try and shrug him off.

'You do know that you can never tell anyone that Mr Lupin is a werewolf.' Dumbledore says. He looks at both me and Severus. 'I allow him at this school to have an education. Without this Mr Lupin would be in a muggle school. I would appreciate that you would not tell anyone about this.'

I nod. Snape looks ahead stony.

'If this is spread then Mr Lupin will be taken to the ministry and most surely executed. Hogwarts may shut down entirely becuase of this. Parents won't send their children here and there will be many angry letters to the ministry who will be forced to close Hogwarts. I trust you to not tell anyone.'

I nod again but this time Snape speaks up.

'Headmaster. Lupin is a dangerous vicious animal. How can you trust him? He nearly killed me along with Potter and Black-'

Dumbledore held up a hand and cut him off. 'I'm sure that you must agree that Mr Lupin is only dangerous on the full moon.' He looks at Snape as if daring him to disagree.

Snape grits his teeth and nodded jerkily.

'Then I'm sure that you won't be in any danger as long as you don't go near the shrieking shack at moonlight.' Dumbledore says. He reaches over and tweaks a creaking instrument on his desk until it was silent, then he says, 'We will have to involve Professor Baldwin to deal with this as well as all the teachers, they must be told so you will be punished accordingly. Miss Tremlett you can go now.'

I didn't need to be told twice. I jumped out of my seat and nearly ran for the door.

'Before you go.' Dumbledore says just as I reach the doornob. 'Please do not travel in the castle after it's lights out. Have a good night.' I glance around. James looks tired as he puts his head in his hands and wipes the condensation off his glasses. Sirius stares at me suspiciously.

I nod and open the door glad to be leaving. I stumble down the staircase and run back to the Ravenclaw common room. As I get to the knocker it whispers.

'The more of me you have the longer your life,

The more of me you have the less you have left,

What am I?'

'I... Don't... Know...' I moan between pants. I slowly slid down onto the floor. 'Let me in!' I begin pounding on the bottom of the door. Tears begin falling from my cheeks and before I know it I begin crying. I don't know why. 'Go away.' I say to my tears. 'I just want to sleep, let me in. I should know this. I know things.' I whisper.

'The more of me you have the longer your life,

The more of me you have the less you have left,  
What am I?'

The bronze eagle head knocker repeats itself and I groan and lay my head on the cool stone walls. I slowly begin knocking on the door again. My eyes close and I'm about to fall asleep when the door opens and a familiar voice calls out.

'Sophie!' It's Flo and she takes one look at me before hauling me in. 'What happened? You were gone for an hour. And you didn't even get the coffee.'

Only a handful of seventh years were left in the common room but they all stare at my bedraggled appearance. Thank merlin I'm not crying right now. The room is blurry and I want to lie down in my bed.

'I'm going to sleep.' I begin to pack up my books before I stop. 'Screw it.'

'Sophie what happened?' Flo sounds worried. The seventh years are still staring at me. They heard my commotion outside.

'Snape and Sirius were being arseholes to poor Remus. James saved him,' I say drowsily. I sluggishly made my way upstairs but not before I heard someone ask what I was talking about.

—

As I walk down to breakfast this morning with Flo it was clear that word got out. I don't know how or who but someone had said something had happened with the marauders and how Snape and I were involved. Everyone knew how Sophie Tremlett stumbles into the Ravenclaw common room looking bedraggled and talking about how Sirius and Snape were arseholes and how James saved them. Everyone also knows how The marauders aren't talking to Sirius any more and how James saved Snapes life, though Snape denied it.

Flow is still trying to get me to tell her what happened last night, and so was everyone else.

Flo and I eat in silence this morning hearing the sound of hushed voices as people discuss the rumour and glance at us. I look up as I push my eggs around my plate, I meet light brown eyes and my breath hitches. Remus Lupin glances down and immediatly James glares at me threatening, I roll my eyes. Who is he trying to impress?

Down the Gryffindor Sirius sits surrounded by admirers and curious people. Although he's surrounded by people I've never seen him so lonely, every once in a while Sirius would glance at Remus and James before looking back down again and nodding mutely to someone talking to him.

I turn and look at the Slytherin table, Snape is talking in hushed voices with Rosier. As if sensing my stare he looks up and turns his nose up at me. Regulus is sitting on the other side of Rosier, he looks at Sirius curiously as if wondering why he wasn't sitting with his friends. Flo looks at me curiously as I turn around.

'You done?' She asks.

I look at my uneatened plate of food. 'Yeah.' I mutter. 'Lets go.' We grab our bags to go of to our first lesson; transfiguration.

'What happened?' Flo whispered as we walked up the staircase; jumping trick steps.

'You can't tell anyone.' I stopped and looked at her seriously. People rushed by hardly noticing us. 'Promise me you won't tell anyone.'

Flo nodded. 'I promise. Swear on my magic pinky.' She put her hand on her heart. I rolled my eyes and lead her into a hidden alcove on the stairway.

I explained everything to her, Flo was a good listener; doing the correct facial expressions and notices at the correct moments.

'Woah.' Flo said in a breath. She shook her blonde hair. 'That was... Interesting. Lupin is a werewolf. A werewolf in Hogwarts. What was Dumbledore thinking?' She nods her head before checking her watch. 'That must have been intense. Not going to hang around that Lupin bloke much anymore though. We're going to be late to transfiguration, come on.' She drags my hand and leads us into the third floor. Just as she enters the classroom a portrait opposite me opens and I get pulled through into pitch black.

'Ahh-mmmf.' I scream as a hand is put over my mouth. I try to kick the attacker just as I hear a silencing charm being performed, the hand is then removed. 'Let me go!' I shout. I feel a thud of satisfaction as my foot hits something soft and I hear a 'oomph.' I take out my wand and began to shoot out spells before someone utters a lumos.

'She kicked me.' Squealed Peter Pettigrew holding his stomach.

'Oh man up.' James potter says to him before standing infront of me. 'We want to talk to you.'

Behind him are Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black. They made up when Sirius came to them 5 minutes ago and apologised his arse off. Sirius stares at me menacingly while Remus avoids looking at me completely, Peter tries to act intimidating like Sirius but he looks like a idiot.

'Yes.' I say. 'I'm not going to tell anyone about your condition. If that's what you're wondering.' I look around to see where I am. I'm in a little cave that was hollowed out behind this portrait when the Goblin war began and they needed a secret hideout in Hogwarts that was easy access if someone invaded them. I just know this. I know things, it's a talent.

'So you're fine with Moonys furry little problem.' Sirius asks. He comes to stand next to James.

'Um.' I scratch my head. My parents and everyone I knew had always drilled it into me that werewolves are dangerous creatures, yet Remus stands here infront of me looking as harmless as a Guinea Pig, he was looking fearful at me, as if I was going to hurt him. The 'moony' nickname makes sense now.

'As long as I'm not near him during the full moon it's cool.' I say. I look at Remus. 'Yeah, I don't mind.'

James grins, his mouth stretching to show gleaming white teeth, it seemed everything about him was perfect, perfect looks, perfect grades, great friends, the only thing not perfect in his life was Snape and not getting Lily Evans to go out with him.

'Alright then.' James claps me on the shoulder. 'Why were we so worried. See you around Ravenclaw. Come on. Marauders forwards.' He points his finder towards the portrait opening and winks at me before opening it and disappearing.

Sirius follows him with a smirk in my direction, he gives me a two-fingered salute before going. Peter just smiles as he follows Sirius. Finally it's just me and Remus.

'Thanks.' He say looking at me before promptly disappearing.

Suddenly I'm left alone in the dark. I get up and go outside into the corridor again. It was silent. Only then did I remember I was suppose to be in transfiguration. I open the door and was greeted with McGonagalls stern look.

'Late Miss Tremlett.' She looks at me over her glasses. Everyone was staring at me as I felt my face flush. 'Detention. Tomorrow night. My office. Now sit down.' McGonagall notes something down before continuing her lecture.

I take a seat next to Flo.

'You were right behind me. Like, right behind me. I saw you as I walked through the door.' Flo looks at me confused. I explain everything I can to her as quietly as possible. She nods.

'Stuff just keeps happening to you, doesn't it?' She shakes her head. 'Anyway, you forgot to finish the transfiguration homework last night so I finished it for you while you were with Dumbledore and drama happened. You know.' She winked at me as she pronounced it with a flourish. 'Thank me later.' I smiled in gratitude even though I knew that would happen.

—

 _Mrs Sophie Black_

 _Mrs Sophie Black_

 _Mrs Sophie Black_

 _Mrs Sophie & Regulus Black_

 _Mrs Sophie & Regulus Black_

 _Regulus Black_

 _Regulus Black_

 _Regulus_

I scrawled our names onto the parchment I was meant to be writing lines on. I smiled happily. I knew it was never going to happen but it was fun trying to write in different cursive styles.

I was in detention with The Marauders for being late to our class, they were late to charms while I was late to transfiguration. Professor McGanagall was making us write the line 'I will not be late to class.' Until eight. I could see James next to me writing Lily Evans name over and over again, I smiled. Sirius was in the seat infront of James, occasionally he would lean back and they would pass notes between themselves while Peter would try and join in. Remus and I were the only people actually doing the lines.

Thank Merlin Professor McGonagall was going to leave us unsupervised for 10 minutes, I don't think I can stand being in this suffocating silence for much longer, even if James is going to see part of who's name I'm writing down once McGonagall leaves, but I can manage.

Just as I predicted the fireplace fired up as a face appeared asking McGonagall to go to Dumbledores office. McGonagall frowned but left anyway instructing us to behave.

As soon as she left James tapped me on my shoulder.

'Who's name you're writing down?' At my raised eyebrow he continues. 'No one smiles that much at writing lines.'

'Yeah, he knows what he means. He's had experience writing down Evans's.' Sirius shrugs and ruffles James hair making it even more messier. Remus smiles.

'I don't know what you're talking about.' I say smoothly as I wave my wand inconspicuously under the table so my cursive writing disappears. I give Remus a sly smile when he notices.

James grabs my notes and hurriedly looks through them. His expression turns sheepish as he doesn't find any names, only lines.

'Mate if you weren't writing down any names,' James cocks an eyebrow, 'why were you smiling while writing down lines?'

'I was thinking of something funny.' I reply after a moment of hesitant trebelation. Remus smirks.

'Remus what are you smirking at?' Sirius asks getting out of his chair and leaning on Remus's desk. 'I think Remus knows something that we don't.' Sirius suddenly turned in my direction. 'She put a spell on the paper. Get them!'

He jumped on my desk as I screamed and pushed him off. He landed in a ungrateful heap on the floor. James had already taken his place and was trying to reach my notes, casting random spells in any direction. One stray spell turned Peters skin blue.

'You think that's going to let us see the notes?' Sirius asks sarcastically at James. I was standing on the desk now holding my notes up in the air as they jump up and down. James got on the desk opposite me.

'I paniCKED!' James shouted as the table he was standing on wobbled. 'I'm going to jump!' He leaped on my desk just as I leaped on the next one closest to me. It was Remus's

'Go MOONY!' Sirius shouted as Remus flushed red with embarrassment. I jumped quickly to another desk.

The next few minutes were me, Sirius and James leaping from one desk to another trying to see our notes. I hardly know these boys yet we already seem comfortable with each other, even if I'm in Ravenclaw and a year younger.

A stray spell hits my parchment and the names are revealed. I clutch them tightly to my chest as I leap onto professor McGonagalls desk. Remus gives out a gasp, he's quite the teachers pet.

'I saw it! I saw it!' James shouted dancing on top of Peters desk. Sirius started doing a jig.

'No!' I shouted, but I didn't really mind, James only saw part of it. The one person I'm worried about whether Sirius will find out its his brother.

'Prongs! Please share with us your knowledge.' Remus adds, giving James a I-couldn't-care-less look.

'The name end with Lus. It's something Lus. Or it's Lus something. I don't know.' James trailed off.

'Good job.' Sirius looked at James.

'It was all I could see,' James defended himself. 'Anyway at least we know part of the name now.' He jumped onto another desk.

Professor McGonagall was coming. I could feel it.

'Guys. McGonagall she's coming!' I shout. I get down from her desk and tidied it before running back to mine, straightening desks along the way.

'That's the oldest trick in the book Sophie,' says James raising an eyebrow. 'You don't think we'll really fall for-'

'No, she's actually coming.' Remus backs me up. He must have smelt her, or heard her.

Immediatly there was a stampede to get all the desks right and to turn Peters skin back to normal. Sirius helped me by straightening the desks while James out back all books we knocked over, Remus turned Peter back the right colour.

Suddenly I could hear footsteps, 'she's just turning the corner.' I whisper.

Everything freezes before everyone starts rushing around. We all return to our seats and pretend we're busy writing just as McGonagall returns. She gives us a suspicious look before settling at her desk.

 _How did you know she was coming?_ James mouths at me. Sirius is looking at me as well, awaiting my answer.

I shrug and turn around. The rest of the detention carried on in silence. As soon as it was over I rushed out and met Flo at the bottom of the giant staircase.

—

The rest of the year continued without any drama, I talked occasionally to the marauders but not much, I wouldn't say we were exactly friends. Flo and I aced the exams, I knew we were going to do well. I felt sorry for poor Peter Petigrew who failed transfiguration OWLS, everyone else found it easy.

Next year we'll be going into fith year. We'll be doing our OWLS. I don't know anything about the future at this moment.

On the last day Flo and I were ready and hour before the train was about to leave, so we walked around the castle.

'This year has been crazy.' Flo muttered looking down at her shoes. 'I mean, we found out some things,' she gave me a knowing look as a couple of first years passed us chatting excitedly. 'And now you're friends with the marauders.' She bumps my shoulder. 'Congrats.'

I roll my eyes. 'We're not exactly friends. We just say hi to each other in the corridors. That's about it.'

A seventh year passes us crying but laughing at the same time with her friend. Happy tears roll down her face as I hear her recounting all the best moments of her time at Hogwarts. Flo looks on.

'I don't want to have summer holidays.' Flo says. She kicks her heel out of her shoes, then puts it back on. 'I'm always so bored.'

'Buuuuutttt...' I grab her hands and swing her around. 'We're going to GLASTONBURY!' I laugh and clap my hands together. 'I CAN'T WAIT!'

Flo grins and hugs me just as someone passes. My eyes widen as I catch him look at us from over Flo's shoulder, his nose turns up.

'Did you see him.' Flo whispers quietly in my hair.

'Yep.' I'm breathless with happiness. 'I saw him.'

Flo and I began jumping up and down in the corridor just as Regulus Black turned the corner.

'He stuck his nose up at us.' I shout. We both do our happy dance. 'I've never been so happy to be looked down on.' I grin. 'He noticed me!'

'Yay!' Flo shouts.

In the end we crack up on the floor laughing, ignoring the people stepping over our feet. I can't wait to go back to Hogwarts again.


	3. Fifth Year Part 1

I hug my parents, whispering goodbyes to them before I leap onto the fog covered scarlett steam engine. First years were still talking to their parents just as the whistle pierced through the air, there was a big rush to get on the train. I wave goodbye at one of the windows before I drag my trunk through the busy compartments and look for Flo. Over the summer i had gone Mallorca, it wasn't all fun and games though, I had wierd dreams and feelings that I knew would come true, one of them was that Sirius would run away by the end of this year.

After some time I find her at the back of the train. Flo was sitting on the floor playing exploding snap on her own, her eyes furrowed in concentration, her trunk was left on the plush red seat behind her.

'If this isn't a sight to behold.' I laugh and dump my trunk on the seat before sitting opposite Flo. 'Playing exploding snap on your own?' I raised a playful eyebrow. 'Your standards have dropped. You used to actually play it WITH someone.' Our knees touch.

Flo shook her head and smiled. We leaned over and hugged. 'I haven't seen you in ages. Not since June in Glastonbury.' She says.

'I went to Mallorca with my family. They wanted to get me to go to this magic camp there.' I shrugged my shoulders. 'It was okay. Bit boring.' I begin to deal out the cards. 'Everyone just played around all day.'

'You have a cool tan though. Something good came out of it.' Flo nods at my tanline around my neck, it was where my necklace hung.

'Thanks mate.' I look at Flo. 'That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.' I put my hand on my hand. 'Means so much.' I deal out the cards.

'Your sarcasm has gotten worse though.' Flo grins.

The train started moving with a sudden jolt. The cards scatter all over the floor causing Flo to burn the tips of her blonde hair.

'Dear Morgana.' Flo moans as she looks at her stray pieces of burnt hair. I begin to pick up all the cards and shuffle them again. 'And just when I started liking my hair.'

We continue playing exploding snap. It ended when both of us burnt our eyebrows off, Flo quickly charmed them back.

I look at my watch which was a present from Flo last year. A little number appears on it. I quickly jump off the floor and make my way towards the door.

'I have to go see Remus.' At Flo's inquiring look I explain. 'The full moon was yesterday and I want to see how he feels.'

'Should I come with you?' Flo asks. 'I don't want to be seen sitting here on my own. I'll look so lonely.' She moves to stand up.

I grin and shake my head. 'Flo, you'll look lonely anyway. But, no, I don't think you should come. I mean, Remus doesn't know you _know_.' I widened my eyes at the word 'know.' 'He'll just think I told you and then everyone will freak out. I wasn't meant to tell anyone anyway.'

I left the compartment just in time to hear Flo say, 'I need more friends.' I nodded to myself and laughed. Flo and I only had each other and that's all we needed.

I trudged around the train for some time before coming across the marauders compartment. I immediatly knew others that were not welcome were inside. Just as I got to the door I peered through the glass. Inside were Snape, Mulciber, Rosier and Regulus, even though Regulus looked a bit reluctant to be facing his brother.

I could see Snapes famous sneer as James and Sirius drew their wands.

'What's going on here?' I ask as I open the door quickly. Remus looks at me relieved, glad that he doesn't have to stop the coming fight. I consciously don't look at Regulus as I know my cheeks would flush.

'Get out mudblood.' Mulciber spits at me. He grabs his wand and pointed it at me chest, immediatly all the marauders wands points at him. 'This doesn't concern you. Only your filthy little friends.'

'I'm not a muggleborn to be clear.' I roll my eyes as Mulcibers hand tightens on his wand. I will myself to be calm, I know nothing will happen, we're just talking. My heartbeat quickens. 'I'm a half blood.' I look into his eyes, they're brown.

'As if that makes things better.' Rosier grinned nastily. 'You blood is still dirty.' He looks at me as if I was living in a gutter.

'If I'm not mistaken Snape is a half blood.' All heads turn to Snape who scowls at me. 'Also, isn't he friends with a muggleborn.' Rosier's lip curled as he realises what I say is true. I act mock outraged and bring a hand to my chest. 'How can this be?' I blink innocently at the slytherins.

Sirius grins wolffishly at me while James winks, they must enjoy the thrill of scaring slytherins. On the other hand Remus looks calm but his whole exterior is crumbling, his hand is shaking while his eyes dart nervously, he really doesn't want to fight so soon after a full moon. Peter looks scared, as if he's about to start crying.

Sirius turns his head and scowls at Regulus. 'Started hanging out with the big boys now Reggie.' He spits out the nickname. If only everyone could know how deep that hurt Regulus.

'Still hanging out with the blood traitors Siri.' Regulus talks in a low quiet menacing voice. I'm entranced, I didn't even know I was staring at him. The slytherins snicker at the nickname. 'You're a disappointment of the family and everyone knows it.' He cocks a head. 'I wonder how mother hasn't disowned you yet. She really should.'

Just as the first spell was shot the door opens. In steps Lily Evens in all her glory. Her green eyes quickly accesses the situation as she flicks her flowing red hair over her shoulder. She taps her prefect badge. 'What is going on here!' She says in a voice that gradually got higher. 'This isn't your compartment.' Lily says looking at the slytherins. 'I can take points if you don't go right now.'

Lily and I move to allow the slytherins to access the door. 'Severus,' Lily says as she just catches sight of him. He stops still in shock. 'What are you doing here?' She frowns at him in confusion.

Snape is saved as he's pushed out the door by the other slytherins who are muttering and scowling at her and the marauders. I look at them and meet a pair of beautiful grey eyes. We hold eye contact only for a moment but it feels like a millennium, I'm breathless and Regulus's eyes are wide. My face flushes and I turn around to meet James staring at me weirdly, he turns to Sirius, they seem to have a silent conversation before both of them started staring at me. I start fidgeting.

'My Lily flower.' James says scrambling down on one knee and grabbing her hand once all the slytherins leave. Remus snickers behind his hand as he watches the scene unfold. 'I hope those nasty slytherins hadn't gotten to you my dear.' James stands up, showing off his muscles as subtly as an elephant. 'I would have protected you had you given me the word.' Sirius scoffs while Remus rolls his eyes. I smile, if only he knew he could have her if only he stopped acting like such a prat.

Lily ignors him completely and steps away. 'Get away Potter you prat. I hope that you didn't encourage the slytherins in here to cause trouble.' Then she narrowed her eyes at Remus. 'And you!' She pointed at his chest. There lay a gleaming prefect badge. 'You're a prefect, surely you can tow these idiots with you.' Remus hangs his head and looks ashamed.

Lastly Lily narrows her eyes at me. It's as intimidating as Sirius describes it to be. I could see why James liked her so much, she was feisty and had lovely flowing red hair with glowing green eyes.

'I don't know what you're doing in here, but if you were encouraging this type of behaviour-' Lily rants but Sirius smoothly cuts her off.

'My dear, dear Lily.' Sirius says taking her hand which is snatched back quickly, he continues on unfazed. 'Our lovely young Sophie from Ravenclaw was just stopping by to say hello and was caught in the mix of things.'

I grin. 'Yeah, I was just seeing if Remus was okay. He just got out of the flu a day ago.' Remus looks surprised that I remember.

Lily looks shocked. 'Oh Remus, I'm so sorry, if I had known I wouldn't have been so hard on you.' She sits down next to him and pats his back, glaring at James who tried to sit next to her.

Lily looks at me curiously. 'So, who did you come to know the marauders? The troublemakers in this school.' She looks at them dissaprovingly. My eyes were wide. How do I answer this? 'I mean, you're a Ravenclaw, aren't you?' Lily asks. I nod slowly. Remus looks panicked. 'And you're a year younger than us.' Lily blinks and looks at me.

'Oh, we met last year...' I had to think fast. 'When-'

'Oh!' Lily exclaims covering her mouth with her hand. 'Oh! The fiasco last year with Snape and everything.' My mind was whirling, she thinks we met last year when we were all in this 'mysterious' conflict. 'You're Sophie Tremlett. The girl who was involved with it all.' Lily blushes, 'don't worry I won't ask what's it about.' She stands up looking embarrassed. 'I have to go anyways. Nice meeting you.' She gives me a smile before sweeping out.

'No... Don't go.' James says standing up. He says it a millisecond too late, she had already left. We were left in silence.

Sirius grinds his teeth together and lounges across two plush red seats, he tugs viciously on a long strand of black hair with an elegant finger, a ferocious grin on his face. 'Regulus always knew the words to impress his little death eater friends. Such a stuck-up, arrogant arse-kisser.'

James nods, Remus returns back to his book while Peter shakes his head with enthusiasm. I don't know why I don't like Peter, I think it's because I always have a bad feeling around him.

'He's probably going to write to _mother_ about me hanging around with 'blood traitors' and 'muggle-lovers.'' Sirius throws his hands up. 'I could say how he's hanging around with death eaters who enjoys torture and send it off to the ministry. I don't know how I'm going to stand another summer.' Sirius says bitterly looking up at the ceiling.

'Mate, you've always got my place to run to.' James pats Sirius's leg with a thoughtful look, he's going to write to his parents and ask if Sirius could stay for the whole summer.

'Regulus isn't that bad.' As soon as the words escape my mouth all eyes were on me. 'I think he's only doing what he's doing so he won't get in trouble.'

Remus looks at me with wide eyes, James blinks behind his glasses as Sirius mutters, 'in other words arse-kisser.'

'No, I think he'll realise that joining the death eaters is wrong and he'll leave.' I shrug. 'Regulus is clever, he'll realise soon enough.'

'Regulus, has posters of the dark lords _work_ all over his bedroom.' Sirius said, his eyebrows are raised at me. 'He study's them before he goes to bed every night. He practically dances for joy when another attack is conveyed.'

I cross my arms and stare defiantly at him. 'Well, I think he's going to change and realise the truth. Anyway,' I looked at Remus and smile, he still looks a big pale. A white bandage pokes from its hiding-hole underneath his tee-shirt. 'I came to see if Remus was okay and he is. So...' I moved towards the door. 'Goodbye.' I open the door and leave.

I know that behind my back they were exchanging looks. I finally find my compartment again. Flo is sitting with her back pressed against the seat, shuffling the muggle card I had given her two years ago.

Flo looks sulky. 'Yes, I will be back soon she said, I won't take long she said.' Flo gives me a hard stare before breaking out in a grin. 'How long does it take to say hello to someone?'

'Some slytherins were in the compartment. Drama happened.' I shrugged sitting opposite her, our knees and toes touching. 'We better get dressed soon.'

'After you tell me the _juicy_ gossip.' Flo wiggled her eyebrows. 'Was there a special bloodthirsty little beast in this slytherin group I wonder.'

I laughed. 'There was.'

'Tell me more.'

—

I hurried out of Potions with Flo by my side. There was a lot of jostling as the Ravenclaws and Slytherins all rushed to get out of the classroom first.

'I ruined my potion.' Flo groaned miserably sitting on the bottom steps of the great staircase. 'Why is fith year so hard?'

I sank down next to her, opening my bag I found two chocolate frogs, I handed one to Flo which she opened and nibbled lightly. The frog escaped but Flo did nothing to stop it. Students stared and passed us on the steps.

'Run froglet.' She said acting melancholy as it hopped away. 'Or should I say hop?' She shrugged. 'Hop froglet. Hop to your destiny among the other frogs of your generation. May you have a good life and not be eatened.'

The chocolate frog hopped towards the window where it jumped out. We watched it go.

I look at her. 'That was a _perfectly_ good chocolate frog.' I pat her shoulder. 'I didn't understand anything from Potions either.' I bit the head of my chocolate frog. 'You can have my frogs leg.' I hand her a wiggling chocolate leg.

'We're supposed to be Ravenclaws though.' Flo moans, her head in her hands, taking the chocolate leg and eating it. 'We're meant to understand everything. Imagine what it'll be like next year.'

'You're still getting a O on your OWLS.' I shrug, wiping my hands on my cloak. 'Anyway, you won't take potions in sixth year.' I frown. 'I don't think. I'm not sure. Actually,' I throw my hands up, 'forget I said anything.'

' _Froglet_ I said anything.' Flo says lifting her head up giggling.

'Was that a terrific pun I hear.' Two pairs of feet appear infront of me before they both sit down next to me on the steps. It was James with Sirius in tow. Remus and Peter not to be seen. ' _And_ it was about chocolate frogs. Padfoot we have to write it down.'

'Already on it prongs.' Sirius says pulling out a small black notebook from nowhere. Flo and I stare astounded at them. 'Why are we sitting on the steps? Everyone is walking over us. If there was a stampede we would be trampled.' Sirius says looking around before shrugging and jotting something down in the notebook before putting it away.

'Lovely thought process Padfoot. Now, why were we here?' James looks thoughtful tapping his chin. 'Oh yeah! We heard you having an existential crisis from the top of the stairs. As two fine gentlemen we came to see what's up. How can we help?' Sirius and James give a mock bow at the same time.

'It's just potions.' I shrug and wave helplessly. 'I know we're going to do fine in exams but the lessons are still hard.' Flo puts her head back in her hands and rubs her blonde flowing hair, it tumbles down her shoulders.

'I'm going to die.' She moans into her knees, it comes out muffled.

'Peter thought that but he still survived.' James says picking a chocolate frog out of my bag and opening it. He pops it into his mouth before it could hop away.

'That was my frog.' I say. He ignores me and focuses on chewing before giving me a thumbs up smiling.

'There's still hope in this world.' Sirius continues running a hand through his black hair. 'Peter got through it and Peters rubbish.'

'But he _failed_ potions.' Flo wails. 'Sophie told me.'

'How do you know?' Sirius whispers from over Flo's shoulder at me. 'Peter was really embarrassed so we told no one.' He stares at me weirdly.

'I heard you talking about it in the Great Hall.' I answer smoothly, rubbing Flo's back. A student sidesteps us to get to the Great Hall, it was common to see the upper years be hassled under pressure, especially the seventh years.

I rub Flo's back, 'I told you, you're still going to get an O in OWLS anyway. Slughorn loves you. You're in the Slug Club.' I knock my head lightly with hers.

'Slughorns Slug Club.' James shakes his head reminiscing. 'Remember when we went, that one time.' He takes off his lopsided glasses and wipes off the condensation, he squints midair.

'We blew up the classroom with fireworks.' Sirius says nonchalantly. 'There was also this massive smell around Snape and old Sluggy for ages. Everyone blamed the dampness and faulty fairy lights.' Sirius gave us a conspiracy wink. 'It was me. Wormtail made the smell though, he was good at that type of stuff.

Flo gave a little snort. 'I remember that. Slughorn made me climb up to check if the light were still working. I nearly fell.' She rubs her eyes and looks up. James and Sirius stare back at her.

Flo gives her blonde hair one last ruffle before standing up. 'Thanks guys.'

'No problem.' James says clapping her back and smiling. 'Always a pleasure to help out the younger Ravenclaws.' Flo gives him a hand to stand up.

'I remember when Moony had a breakdown becuase he was doing to many subjects.' Sirius says nodding thoughtfully. 'He was still doing less than you Ravenclaws though. You guys are brainy.' Sirius catches sight of something over James shoulder. Lily Evens has just rounded the corner.

'That's what we're known for. Brains not brawn.' I say standing up as well. Sirius laughs, James smiles and messes up his hair, he's noticed her.

'Evens alert.' James whispers at Sirius who rolls his eyes.

'Operation Prongs go!' Sirius gives James a push in Lily's direction. 'I'll see you two lovely ladies later. And Prongs is incapable of speaking right at this moment.' Sirius says shaking his head. He's correct, James is standing in front of Lily opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish while she taps her foot and looks on unimpressed.

'Operation Padfoot sorting out the situation go.' Sirius says before running off and slinging an arm around James. Lily's frown deepens

'See you later.' I wave as Flo and I move our way off the steps and down the corridor.

'They're actually really nice.' Flo says, her eyes start twinkling. 'I just don't know why Lily won't date James. He's such a cool guy around her.' Flo's sarcasm gets me smiling.

'He's an idiot around her. Remember our third year.' The sound and smell of the Great Hall hits us. 'Oh how I love food.' I murmur sniffing the air.

'Yeah, I see your point. James should've known not to ask her out after pushing her friends into the Great Lake and turning them orange.' Flo laughs.

'If only he could act natural around her then she'll actually date him.' We find seats at the end of the table. James and Sirius come in, James with a sad, disappointed expression.

'She will?' Flo exclaims shovelling peas onto her plate.

'Yeah. In their seventh year.' I handle some fish.

'Woah.' Flo whispers.

—

I make my way to the hospital wing carrying gifts; a box of chocolate frogs and liquorice wands. My cousin, Donaghan Tremlett had given them to me at the beginning of this term, he'd forgotten that I hated liquorice so I'm re-gifting it to Remus, maybe he'll enjoy it.

I knocked on the sterling white hospital wing door. A moment later Mademe pomfrey opened it, she smiled warmly at me.

'Oh come in.' She let me into the visitors area and looked at me. 'Yes?'

'Please could I visit Remus.' I say holding up the gifts. 'I just want to drop these off and say hello.'

Madame Pomfrey looks at me over her glasses. 'I'm sorry miss...'

'Tremlett. Sophie Tremlett.'

'Remus isn't here. I've heard he's visiting his mother back home, why don't you mail these to him?' Madame pomfrey acts like she's not lying. Which she is.

'Madame Pompfrey, I know Remus is here becuase he's a...' I nod and raise my eyebrows. Madame pomfrey acts confused. 'He's a werewolf.' I cast a silencing charm around us and whisper. Madame pomfrey smiles.

'This way then. She leads me through a door. 'Those dratted boys better not be in here. They've already had their ten minutes. Disturbing my other patients.' Madame Pomfrey mutters. She leads me to Remus's bed. 'Ten minutes.' She gives me a stern look, gone was the nice smiling persona she presented to me a moment ago.

Remus lay in the hospital bed topless and pale with bandages covering every inch of his body. He smiles weakly at me. I stand by his bedside table. I frown as a lamp falls onto the floor, I was nowhere near that.

'I come bearing gifts.' I hold up the sweets and place them on the bedside table. 'I've got chocolate frogs and liquorice wands. My cousin, Donaghan, gave me the liquorice wands but, bleugh,' I open the box and hand one to Remus, he gives me a small thanks. 'I don't like them. So I thought you might like it.' I try a winning smile.

Remus seems to be talking to thin air. He's looking at his left and murmuring quickly.

'Remus?' I ask cautiously. Suddenly I realise. James and Sirius are underneath invisibility cloaks while Peter is underneath the bed.

I frown looking straight at James. I know he's giving me a wide eyed look right now. 'I know you're there. I can see the ripples of the invisibility cloak. And Peter, _get out_ from underneath the bed.'

Three boys sheepishly reveal themselves. 'I didn't know you could see invisibility ripples.' Sirius says questioning.

'Your cousin is _Donaghan Tremlett!'_ James exclaims, his hand is clapped over his mouth and he grabs Sirius shoulders and begins to jump up and down. 'Padfoot! He plays the bass of the band _The Wierd Sisiters!'_ Sirius starts jumping up and down with James giving me a forced grin.

'Prongs. Let me go.' James relunctantly let Sirius go. 'Is that the new band that my mother hates?' Sirius asks.

'Yeah.' James says, still jumping up and down as if he had a box of sweets.

'I love them then!' Sirius exclaims and takes a liquorice wand.

James takes one as well and pokes me with it. 'Can you ask him for an autograph? Please. Please. Please.'

'Yeah, sure.' I look at James cautiously and point the liquorice wand away from me. 'I'll ask him over Christmas. I never knew he was in a band.'

'Oh it's a really new band. They've only made one song but Prongs is already obsessed.' Remus says sucking on a hidden sugar quill in my pile of liquorice wands. I roll my eyes at the nickname, if the ministry realised they were animagus they were in trouble, I start looking through the sweets I gave Remus for a sugar quill, I could save one for Flo.

'Yeah. I really like them as well.' Peter says crawling out from underneath the bed. 'Guys.' He started whining. 'None of you helped to pull me out.'

'Wormtail, you need help from getting out from underneath a bed?' Sirius looks at Peter with skeptism.

'It was a tight fit.' Peter groaned. I grab his hand and pull him the rest of the way out, as I do I notice a massive purplish blue bruise on his arm.

'Hey.' I touch the bruise on Peters arm lightly. 'Where did you get that bruise? It's a big one.' I poke it with the end of my Sugar quill.

Remus pales. Ahhhh, last night.

'We ran into some Slytherins.' James jumps in. I frown, I was wrong? That hasn't happened before.

'Yeah Regulus, that sneaky bastard was with them.' Sirius growls, he gives me a sneaky sideways look. 'He's soft in the head, always trying to please mother and his death eater friends. He's walking straight into death if he continues along this path, he doesn't make his own depictions, always to influenced by his idiotic slimy friends-'

'Regulus _does_ make his own decisions.' I but in, I could feel my face flush like whenever I talked about Regulus. 'I mean, he chose to be what he is and later he'll choose to defy the dark lord. If you think he's in such a mess then trust me when I say he'll get out of it.'

Sirius looks at me with disappointed eyes as James looks away, Remus looks as if he'd known all along. Peter looks at Sirius then backs at me before scuttling back underneath the bed.

'What?' I ask. 'And Peter, get out from underneath the bed.' I pull Peter out again.

You like Regulus!' Sirius exclaims. 'Regulus!' My face turns beet red. 'My little brat of a brother who just smooches up to mother so he doesn't end up like me.'

'You do know that he adores the dark lord.' James looks at me with furrowed eyebrows. 'How do you like him?'

'I don't like him. I'm just defending him because I don't think you're right in saying those things.' I defend myself although I already know it's a losing battle.

'Defending him my arse. You like him! You like the squirmy little deatheater in the making.' Sirius gives me a disgusted look.

'You were writing his name in detention last year.' Remus says quietly not looking at me.

'He's a little pyscho in the making.' Sirius shouts throwing his arms around, all his calm composure from before gone. 'He enjoys things Bellatrix loves.' Everyone knows Bellatrix Black, so loyal to the dark lord she'll do anything for him. 'He likes torturing and killing animals. He believes in that _Toujours pur_ crap! He's kept a box full of dead mice since third year-'

I cut him off adbrupty. 'Fine! I like him! _Why_ is it so bad that I like him? I've had this conversation with Flo and she said the exact same thing so don't think this is all new to me. He's your brother, at least it's _me_ that's liking him not another death eater.' My eyes flash and I can see Sirius back down. 'Why is that so hard to believe? Do you think your brother's not _good_ enough for me?' I glare at him and throw my hands up in the air. It's deadly silent in the hospital wing, only our breaths are heard. 'Why do you care about this anyway? So what I like your brother. It's not going to affect you, you're still going to run away in the summer and never see him again. And do you want to know _why_ you'll never see him again?' I'm on a roll, my hair is frizzing up and the sugar quill in my hand has snapped. 'It's becuase he would have turned up _dead_ becuase he would have defied the dark lord and actually causing the _fall_ of his reign. So tell him he's a _coward_ to his face becuase a few years later you'll be begging for him back since he turned up at your doorstep dead becuase he was too much of a _hero_!'

My chest is heaving and my breaths are coming out in hot pants. I shouldn't have told them all that, they shouldn't know the things that I know yet.

Sirius stares at me as if I'm a completely different person. James looks shocked but still defiant, Remus's eyes are collected, I can't read his emotions. Peter has hidden underneath the bed again.

'I just came to wish Remus well and a speedy recovery. Farewell.' I hurry towards the door before a voice stops me.

'Look. Sophie.' James calls out, I stop and turn around, his face is pleading. We don't know each other very well but we've already figured out each other's deepest secret, well he hasn't figured mine out yet. 'We're just worried about you.'

James looks at me with uncertainty in his eyes, he seems genuine. I want to cry, no one has ever actually cared about me except from Flo. My family is okay but I have always felt it was mandatory loving me, like how I thought it was mandatory loving them. Family is just a title, it doesn't mean anything to us, so is love, it doesn't mean anything to us, it's just a label. But here is James, someone I hardly know, saying he's worried about me, saying he cares.

'Regulus isn't known for being good.' Sirius adds, he seems to know exactly what I'm thinking, he's been through the same, except worse.

'We just want you to know, they're a lot of guys out there that are much better.' Remus says, weakly waving a hand around. 'We don't want you to get hurt.'

'Thanks.' I mutter hoping they don't see my suspiciously wet eyes. 'But I'm fine. I know Regulus isn't a bad guy. He may seem like it now. But he really isn't.'

James gives me a condensending look. I roll my eyes. 'He is!'

'We believe you.' Sirius pats my back. 'It's just he doesn't show it.'

'He hadn't shown it _yet_.' I grab my snapped Sugar Quill. 'I have to go. See you later.' I open the door and leave, a chorus of goodbyes follow my wake.

Madame pomfrey appears infront of me and hustles me out. 'Right on time. Come along. Out you go.' She slammed the door shut behind me.

—

'Yeah, so then I just told them.' I say staring at the ceiling of our Ravenclaw dorm. I'm lying flat on my back on my blue bedsheets. Pictures of me and Flo dots the wall as well as posters such as the quiddich team; the Kenmare Kestrals, my cousins team. Four other beds lie unoccupied as Flo and I lie on our own respective bed, hers right next to mine.

Flo whistles between her teeth. 'And how did they take it?' She draws pictures in the air.

'At first they were angry but then I kind of chewed them out. They apologised after that.' I shrugged and picked apart an old jumper.

'The marauders apologised to you.' Flo sat up and stared at me wide-eyed. 'Woah. Girl, you have superpowers.'

'Noo. Well, they didn't exactly apologise, they just explained why they got mad.' I say. I lifted my hand into the air and made a heart. 'You don't think Regulus knows who I am by now, does he?'

'I don't know.' Flo lies back on her back again. 'You're the one with the all-knowing powers. He'll defiantly know your name though after the _scandal_ last year.' Flo turns her head and wiggled her eyebrows.

'The most frustrating this is,' I rub my face with my hands and groan. 'I know events. I don't know how people feel, well not deeply. I have an inkling to what they're thinking, but it's like, right now I know you're hungry.' I turn my head in Flo's direction. 'I don't know how hungry or what food your craving. I don't even know what people are thinking most of the time. I defiantly never know when people are emotional thinking.' I stare at Flo. 'Do you know what I mean?'

'I think so.' Flo says slowly. 'Like, you don't know what people are thinking when it comes to their emotions.'

I nod. 'That's exactly it.'

'Well, then there's me that can't even tell if I want some bread or cake.' Flo shrugs. 'We can't have it all.'

The door opens, Flo and I look up. It's Sasha, our roommate, she gives us a smile before dropping to her bed and pulling out her homework. Our other roommates, Eleanor, Diana and Hannah enter in a group giggling. They all cluster around Hannah's bed and draw the curtains. Flo and I look at each other and raise an eyebrow.

'Operation ears?' I whisper so Sasha wouldn't hear.

'Do we really want to know?' Flo asks. 'They're going to be talking about boys and makeup.'

'Good point captain.' I give Flo a two finger salute and sit up grabbing my bag. 'We shall settle and do homework for tonight.'

I pull out my herbology and glance at it. 'Now. What to do, what to do?' I read my instructions that I had written down out loud. 'Draw a diagram of the Chinese chomping cabbage. Label it and write down ten reasons why it's useful for domestic reasons... Blah... Blah...' I said scanning the page in my homework planner.

'Great! The Chinese chomping cabbage.' Flo mutters from behind my shoulder. I turn around sharply.

'How did you get on my bed?' I ask. Flo was behind me kneeling on my bed looking as if she belonged their. 'You were right there.'

'I'm sneaky.' Flo whispers and smiles creepily. She crawls to her own bed and pulls out her own piece of parchment. 'So. Diagram of the Chinese cabbage. Let's start. What does it look like?' She looks pointedly at me.

I sit still. 'Like... A cabbage?' I question, shrugging my shoulders. 'Urgh.' I groan. 'We're such bad Ravenclaws.'

'You can use mine for reference.' Pipes up a small voice from the corner. It's Sasha. 'I've already done it.' She hands Flo the parchment.

'Oh cool.' Flo says taking the homework and looking it over. 'Thanks Sasha. This drawing is good.'

I climb into Flo's bed and take a look. The drawing is very good. 'Yeah it is. Thankyou.'

For the next hour Flo and I complete our herbology using Sasha's for reference. When we're done, it's time for dinner.

I rub my eyes and sink down onto Flo's bed. 'Urghhhh.' I groan, my arms flop outstretched next to me. 'That was torture.' I can hear Sasha giggle.

'Sasha. You are officially deemed a lifesaver.' Flo says as she hands back the homework bowing. 'Now. We need to go to dinner. Come on Sophie.'

Flo pulls me by the toes until I'm lying on the floor. I laugh and dust myself off. 'Lets go.'

Just as we walk out a voice calls my name.

'Sophie!' It's Hannah, her bushy head pops out from the blue curtains. 'What time is it?'

I check my watch; a present I got from Flo last year. 'Almost six.'

'Okay. Thanks.' Hannah calls out before huddling back behind the curtains.

Flo and I leave and walk down the stairs chatting. As soon as we got out of the Ravenclaw common room we were ambushed.

'Sophie!' A voice calls out again. It's James, he claps me on the back. 'It's really good to see you!' He leads me into the shadows of the corridor and gives me a eerily wide grin.

'Do you need something?' I ask. My eyebrows are raised and my hands tighten on my wand, you can never be too ready if you're about to be pranked by the marauders.

Suddenly Sirius drops down from the ceiling followed by Remus and Peter who come out a portrait. Flo gives out a small scream and my wand hand twitches. Sirius waves at us.

'We need help.' Sirius says. He runs a hand through his hair and gives me a dazzling grin not at all fazed that he just jumped from the ceiling. 'You see, we're brainy, but not to brainy.' He waves his hand at us. 'Unlike you two, who are very brainy.'

Flo and I stare at Sirius. 'What's your point?' Flo asks cautiously. She edges slowly around so we're facing the corridor giving us a quick escape plan if anything embarrassing happens.

Remus rolls his eyes and scratches his forehead. 'They need you two to answer the Ravenclaw common room riddle so you can let us in.' He gives us a small smile.

'Why don't you just prank the Slytherins?' I ask. 'I mean, you always prank the Slytherins.' A third-year slytherins passes us and glares when she hears. Behind her I can see Sasha come out followed by her hufflepuff friend Sarah, they stare at us oddly before continuing.

'We would.' James says slowly looking self-conscious. 'It's just.' He whispers the last bit. 'We don't know the password.' Sirius looks embarrassed and refuses to look us in the eye.

Flo laughs. 'But you know everything.' She says and waves her hand helplessly. 'You literally know everything about this school.'

Sirius blinks. 'Well, not this one. We used to know it but it changed and our sources have shown up nothing.' His hand cuts a straight line through the air.

'Right now. We're desperate.' James says giving me a pleading look. 'We haven't pranked anyone for days. Look at Sirius, he's on withdrawal.' Sirius started trembling. 'Look at the trembling, the shaking, the pale and sweaty skin.' James's hand touches Sirius forehead. 'Ooh.' He sharply takes his hand away. 'That's hot.'

'You see what it's done to us.' Sirius says, he's stopped trembling. 'We won't prank you, just everyone else, and it'll be minor. Just everyone in Gryfinndor colours. That's it.' He shrugs. 'Hufflepuff is too easy to prank.'

'But if we're not coloured then everyone will know we were in on it.' Flo gives Sirius a frown. 'You didn't think about that, did you?' It was a rhetorical question and Flo delivered it perfectly. Sirius eyebrow went above his hairline.

'Cantankerous Nott.' I say suddenly. All eyes turn to me. 'The slytherin password is Cantankerous Nott.' I shrug. 'Now you don't have to prank Ravenclaw.'

Remus waves his finger and narrows his eyes. 'Isn't he the man who created the pure-blood directory.'

I nod at Remus. James stares at me shocked, Sirius looks astounded. Peter appears to be thinking about food.

'H-how did you know that.' James points an accusing finger at me. 'We've been looking for ages, it's their most guarded secret after we pranked them last time. How did you _know_?' James asks. His eyebrows are raised and his hazel brown eyes are suspicious.

Peter seems to finally get the gist of the conversation and joins in. 'Yeah, even the map didn't show-'

Remus jumps in and stamps his foot while Sirius and James start talking really loudly. I smirk, they think I don't know about the Marauders Map.

'But,' Remus says loudly. 'How _did_ you know?'

The marauders all lean forward, James from his position of his back pressed against the cold stone wall walks right up next to me, so does Sirius.

'I heard some Slytherin talking about it.' I wave my hand nonchalantly. 'Don't know who though.'

Flo smirks at the floor and squeezes my wrist. She knew I had known before.

'Okay.' James says slowly. 'Do you recall any particular features.' He gives me a look.

'Yeah, I would like to see who it was.' Sirius jumps in and gives us a condensending look.

'Oh.' I had to think fast. 'Well, he had red hair... Which was in spikes.' I nod.

'Red, spiked, hair.' Remus says, giving me a unbelieving look. I nod along to every word.

'I think.' I say slowly. 'I'm not sure.'

Flo giggles and I'm sure she's about to give it away. 'We have to go to dinner. Bye!' Flo says hurriedly and drags me along to the Great Hall, leaving behind four suspicious boys.

'Flo.' I pant as I hurry to keep up with her. 'You neally gave me away.'

Flo laughed a threw a grin my way. 'Eh.' She shrugged her shoulders as she slowed down to a halt. The smell of food hit us as we entered. 'I'm in heaven.' Flo murmured.


	4. Fifth Year Part 2

The Christmas holidays came and went with me spending time with my family. I asked my cousin for an autograph for James and I got a brand new Gobstones set from Flo. I gave her an updated photo album of the last two years and a scarf that could change colours and patterns to match your outfit.

The only remotely exciting thing to happen this Christmas was that my cousin Donaghan, performed for the family with his band; the wierd sisters. They were surprisingly good and I captured a signed photo for James later. The band were surprised that they had already gotten a fan, they did only start at the beginning of the school year.

I signed as I ate some turkey, it tastes heavenly. 'This is so goood.' I moaned cutting myself some more. The Great Hall was full of gossip from the Christmas holidays, I could hear a group of sixth years near us talking about their classes this morning, I rolled my eyes.

'Calm down there.' Flo says pouring some gravy. 'Now, according to our study planners, we have to start studying for OWLS.' The group of sixth year Ravenclaws hears this and nods in approval. Flo smiles brightly.

'Nooooo.' I mutter with a mouth full of turkey. 'Studying sucks.' I whisper in case anyone from Ravenclaw heard. They'll pounce on you like a cat and tear you to pieces of you complain about studying.

Flo nods. 'We can be the studying sucks society.' She looks of at the hufflepuff table. 'The S.S.S. We need more members.' Flo turns back to me. 'We could ask Rodger to join.' She gives me a hopeful look. 'You remember Rodger, Rodger Ackerman, I was in the library with him when you were visiting Remus in the first few weeks.'

I frown. 'Isn't he a bit boring. We need this society to be as lively as possible.' I look over at the hufflepuff table, there sat Rodger Ackerman with his friends, his boring brown bland hair was a bit lightly than mine. He gave me a smile when he saw me looking.

'I guess he's nice.' I say looking back at Flo. Her face has gone red and she's really concentrating on pouring the pumpkin juice. 'Rodger, huh?' I give Flo a bright smile.

'He's really nice and sweet in the library.' Flo mutters. She looks at me reassuringly. 'We would be a nice couple right?'

'Yeah.' I say. 'You go out. It's pretty cool.' I look at the Slytherin table. 'Past the oldest dashing Black now?' I grin and wink at Flo who groans. The hustle and bustle of the Great Hall surrounds us, bathing Flo in a caramel tinted light, her once blonde hair is a light honeyed colour and I can feel Rodger staring. Flo is very pretty.

'I was a young influential person in my youth.' Flo says. 'Sirius just happens to be one of the opposite sex that I adored for some time.' Her finger taps the hard wooden table.

I snort. 'Use a word stronger than _adored_ then the sentence would be correct.' I could see a first year trying to bend a spoon backwards, his friends cheering him on.

I pointed it out to Flo. 'Ahh, remember when we did that? The memories of first year.' I wipe of an imaginary tear as Flo throws a pea at me laughing.

'Yeah I remember.' Flo gives me a wicked grin and eyes her spoon sitting on the side of her silver plate. 'Who can do it the fastest. Three, two, one, go!' She grabs her spoon and begins bending it backwards.

I grab the nearest spoon and start bending, the cool metal is slippery in my hands, after a minute I stop and show Flo the two red indents in my hand.

'Look why the spoon did to me!' I exclaim, holding my hand out. The tan from Mallorca was still there. 'I'm injured.' I place the spoon next to my plate again. 'Now my spoon is sweaty.'

'Oh no!' Flo says gritting her teeth, she playfully mocks me. Her face is narrowed in concentration as she looks down at the slowly bending spoon in her lap. 'Yes! I did it!' Flo holds the spoon up in the air. The head has been completely bent backwards. The sixth years who had once given Flo approving glances, looks disapproving at her. I make a face behind their backs, as Ravenclaws get older they generally get more stuffy. Flo and I made a pact in third year that we'll never turn out like that once a group of

'Flo, Flo, Flo.' I clap the table and point to the Gryffindor table. There the marauders were slowly rising to their feet and walking out the Great Hall. 'I still need to give James the autographs. This is the best time.'

'But I'm still eating.' Flo grumbles as she stands up.

'We can go to the kitchens later.' I swing my bag over my shoulder. 'Come on. We're losing them.'

Flo and I shove our way through the crowds of chatting students blocking the doorway of the Great Hall only to see the marauders disappear.

'They went this way.' I say, I know they went behind the mirror on the forth wall, one of the only secret passages I hadn't checked out since I knew that a portrait near it would report anyone who entered to the marauders, they reason? That I don't know.

Flo and I run up the grand staircase, jumping over the trick steps. Peeves floated behind us terrorising the hufflepuff first years throwing pencils at them, I waved my wand and whispered, 'waddiwasi.' All the pencils immediatly turn on Peeves who begins hollering, the first years cheer.

'Where did you learn that spell?' Flo panta as we run to catch them up. We cross a portrait of a knight who blew a raspberry at us.

'The Marauders. Remus invented it and I just knew.' We finally skidd to a point as we reach the mirror.

Flo eyes me uncertainly. 'They could be having this ultra secret meeting in their.' She looks around the empty corridor.

'No one is here.' I say and look into the mirror. 'They've all gone into dinner.' I look closer at the mirror.

'Great.' Flo says throwing her hands up. 'We're here for nothing.'

I frown. 'No, Flo. There's a secret passage behind this. But... There's something wrong with it.' I knock on it sharply and hear a muffled shout. 'They're spying on us!' I exclaim realising. 'They can see us through the mirror.'

I grab the mirror and swing it open. Inside there is room large enough to hold a meeting, James, Sirius and Remus sit inside staring sheepishly at us. I glare at them.

Suddenly a small pop is heard from behind Flo's shoulder, It's Peter. Flo gives a small scream.

He must have been following us as his animagus form. 'Peter stop being such a _rat_ and following us!' I shout at Peter before I could stop myself, he squeaks.

The colour in James's face drop. I try to play it natural. 'Well, anyway.' I give a forced smile. Flo still stares shocked at Peter. 'I just came to give James this signed photo of The Wierd Sisiters.' I hand it to him awkwardly. When he doesn't take it I balance it on his shoulder.

'Why do you know everything?' Sirius says suddenly. His eyes stare at me sharply, déjà vu happens and I'm taken back to the time when he was accusing me of liking Regulus. 'You know things that other people don't.'

'I beg your pardon?' I ask weakly, my hand is clenched in fist, my nails digging half-moons into my palm.

'Do you mean becuase Sophie is in Ravenclaw?' Flo asks hesitently. She looks at her watch she doesn't have. 'We have to go anyway-'

'No!' James shouts. 'Seriously. How do you know these things.' He gestures with his hands.

'No one knows this place except us.' Remus says staring at me intensely. 'We asked a portrait to guard it. No one comes in except us and we haven't told anyone about this.' His hands fly over the place. 'No one knows this place. So how do you know it? Do you have inside information or something?'

'Inside information?' I scoff. 'What do you think I am? Dumbledores man through and through?' I raise my eyebrows.

'Well we don't know what to believe.' Sirius says. He runs his hand through his hair and scowls, marring his aristocratic features. 'You know things you're not supposed to know. Like, a moment ago. You knew Peter was a rat.' He pointed an accusing finger at me. I shook my head. 'Don't try and deny it. You could see it on your face.'

Flo had gone deathly still. She had always hated confrontations. 'Look, you're getting this all wrong. I don't know why you're so angry at Sophie. She just listens a lot.' Flo says, her arms circle my shoulders as she gradually begins to steer us away towards the mirror.

'You knew that I pranked Snape. In Dumbledores office last year, you shouted at me and said how could I betray Remus like that and let down James.' Sirius says, his voice is low but intense. 'You knew that James saved Snape. How could you know? None of us ever told you. I didn't _mutter_ it to you as I ran away.'

James speaks up. The signed photo on his shoulder flutters down towards the cold stone floor. Remus pockets it. 'It's the little things like them. The offhand comments. Like whenever you visit Remus in the hospital wing-' Remus shoots a panicked look at Flo but she just smiles and shrugs. '-you always laugh at _our_ inside jokes, as if you already know them.'

'And when we were talking about Remus accidently pranking McGonagall,' Peter pipes up, his hand fidgets in his lap, he doesn't meet our eyes. 'You talked about it as if you were there. You said things that even Remus forgot about, things that only we knew.'

The air is deathly silent, I can hear the mice scuttle in the darkness. I can't speak, my mouth is open but no words come out. Flo looks shocked, I grasp her wrist as I lifeline.

'In our detention last year.' Remus quiet voice cuts through the tension like a knife. The half-lit dimness causes shadows under Remus's eyes, he looks as if he just woke up from the dead. 'You knew that Professor McGonagall was coming even before _I_ did.' He eyes me speculating. 'That's impossible.' He shakes his head, the light catches his hair, amber glows spark off as if his hair is on fire.

Sirius speaks again. It's like a constant battle, each boy is taking turns hitting me right in the heart. 'At Christmas when we were sitting on the steps. You knew Peter failed OWL potions. No one knows that except _us_ , and we never told anyone. And _don't_ say you heard us talking about it becuase we only talked about it one time and that was in the safety of our room. Also the Slytherin password,' Sirius throws his hand in the air. ' _How_ did you know that? They told no one, _no one_ what that password is. And you don't have a Slytherin friend, we've checked.'

'People have noticed Sophie.' James says. He messes his hair up. 'They know that something is wierd about you. You can't believe that people don't notice that you always know when a test is coming up, or the truth in the latest gossip. People are nosy.'

'You were asking around behind my back?' I say, looking at them incredulously.

Sirius holds his hands up in the surrender motion. 'We had to find out.'

'You still don't have a right to sneak about Sophie behind her back.' Flo says painstaking quietly.

'We didn't mean for it to blow up as big as this.' Remus says rubbing his eyes tiredly. 'We just meant to ask how you got this information. You weren't meant to be barraged with accusations. Sorry about that.'

'We think it's cool.' James says brightly. 'If you know everything you could help us with pranks and the such.'

I nod and look at Flo. 'Yeah, sure, I don't mind.' I smile and Flo looks relieved to be saved from this confrontation.

'Oh yeah.' James says suddenly, 'thanks for the autograph.' He gives me a roguish grin and a wink. How Lily Evens denies his advances I will never know.

—

I walk alongside Flo towards the Ravenclaw common room, it was a week until exams and everyone in Ravenclaw was furiously studying hard. Next to me Flo has her head down revising the theory of the silencing charm, I pull her away from bashing her head against a low column for the fith time, she continues walking, muttering to herself as her hand makes the wand movements. I mutter a sorry as she nearly pokes the eye out of a first year who soon scampers away.

'Flo. Come on. You know it all already.' I pull her out of the way of another Ravenclaw reading while walking. 'You are a walking hazard.'

Flo closes the book. And holds it tightly to her chest. 'We have one week left until exams. _One_ week.' Flo lets out a big sign. 'It's also careers week. The career choices should be posted on the board. We have to hurry.'

Flo began to walk quickly, her long hair flying behind her back. I hurry to catch up with her, tucking my short brown choppy bob behind my ear.

'Why do you want to cut your hair?' I ask fingering my own hair. 'It's really nice.' I touch Flo's blonde flowing locks. 'It's so smooth.'

Flo shrugs. 'It's hard to manage.' She looks at my hair. 'I would like you hair. It's pretty cool.'

I roll my eyes. 'You can't do anything to it though.' I ruffle my hair up. 'It's like boys hair but longer.'

' _How do you know if a nonverbal spell has failed?'_ The airy voice of the Ravenclaw eagle door knocker says.

The door opens and out steps Philip Edgecomb, dark circles underline his eyes and he looks stressed. He's got his nose in a book as well, studying for his seventh year final exams.

Flo catches the door just before it closes. 'Did you know the answer?' She says looking back at me while climbing through the doorway.

'No. You?' I climb in after her. The Ravenclaw common room was abuzz with fifth years all crowding around the notice board. I can see Eleanor talking excitedly with Hannah about new fashion styles, waving a Madame Malkins booklet around.

'Naw, didn't have a clue.' Flo replies. We shove our way towards the board and grab a bunch of flyers in the crowd. In the midst I can see that I'm down for a chat with Flitwick on Tuesday 9:00am. We then make our way towards a table on the edge of the common room.

'Look.' I say slapping a metal-charmer leaflet on the table. 'This was what you wanted to do last year.' In bold letters it said 'CREATE THE NEXT NEW MAGICAL INVENTION!'

'Mmmm.' Flo hums. 'I'm just looking at my choices.' She picks up 'SO YOU THINK YOU CAN BECOME AN UNSPEAKABLE.' Flo flicks through it and hands it to me. 'You might like this. It's about the department of mysteries.'

I read through the first line: _There are four chambers a Unsqeakable can expertise in: the death chamber, the love chamber, the time chamber and the thoughts chamber._

I flip through the pages, there's not much information compared to the others. I'll ask Flitwick about it later, I shove it into the folds of my bag and move to pick up another one when someone taps me on the shoulder.

It's a third year, he gives one look at me before plainly saying, 'James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin are outside and want to see you.' He shrugs off. Flo and I raise an eyebrow at each other.

'Rude child.' Flo mutters, we make out way towards the wooden door.

I push the gold eagle knocker open and step out, carefully concealing the Ravenclaw common room. Outside James and Sirius look frantic while Remus looks relieved. As soon as James sees me he grabs my shoulders and shakes me.

'Urghhhh.' I groan. Remus shoves him off me and murmurs a sorry.

'Do we win the match tomorrow?' Sirius practically jumping says quickly. James rolls quickly on the balls of his feet.

'Do we?' James adds on looking hopeful.

'You mean the Gryffindor versus Slytherin tomorrow?' Flo asks, her eyebrow raised. James and Sirius nods eagerly while Remus puts his head in his hand and signs in embarrassment. 'It's just a match.' Immediatly Remus gives Flo a warning look. James and Sirius look ready to tear her to pieces.

'It's not just a match.' James says running his hands through his hair. 'This is the match that determines whether we are _winners_ or _losers.'_

 _'_ And Burbage just predicted that Slytherin would _win._ ' Sirius moans and throws his hands up in the air. 'It's so unfair.' Burbage is the new petty divination professor, the other one left from dragon pox.

'They won't.' I say, I don't really know, I just know it'll be a close match. 'Burbage was messing with you.'

Sirius and James hug each other in relief and clap each other on the back. Remus gives us a sheepish smile and holds James and Sirius by their collars.

'Come on. We're going and leaving the Ravenclaws in peace.' Remus says and starts dragging them away.

'Wait! Where's Burbages quarters?' Sirius shouts with a wicked look in his eye, James immediatly adopts it. Remus huffs. 'We just want to say _hi_.' Sirius says patting Remus's cheek. 'Don't you worry.'

'North tower. He's got a second room on the second floor though that no one knows about.' I give Sirius a wink. 'The password is Cassandra.'

I see Sirius and James nod at each other just as the door closes. Flo gives me a look, 'why do you always tell them whatever they want to know?'

I shrug. 'I like the results.'

—

'Hello Miss Tremlett. How has your morning been?' Proffessor Flitwicks squeaky voice comes at me from his desk as I take my seat opposite him. He hands me a choice of pamphlets to look at. It's 9:00am on a Tuesday morning and I'm nervous, tapping my foot on the floor lightly. Flitwick gives me a smile and sips his tea.

'Good. How has yours been?' I ask. I fold the corners of the pamphlets nervously.

'Good. Good.' He chuckles. 'You know what this meetings about I presume?' At my nod he continues and leans forwards, which is not much. 'Do you have any idea what you want to do when you're older?'

'Er-' I say, I pick out the Unspeakable and wandmaker pamphlets. 'I was thinking these, leaning more towards to Unspeakables though.'

'Oh.' Professor Flickwick flicks through the Unspeakables pamphlet. 'There doesn't seem to be much information here.' He then flicks through the wand making one, he chuckles in satisfaction. 'Ahh, this one is good. Now about the Unspeakables...' Flitwick shuffles through some papers on his desk. 'Lets see what I have.'

I wait patiently as he hops off his high stool. I give the air that he'd just left a bewildered glance.

'Don't worry my dear.' Came a muffled voice from underneath the desk. 'I'm just finding the Unspeakables files I had stored down here somewhere.'

I nod in relief even though Flitwick wasn't there to see it. I had Potions next, did I do my Potions homework. I dig frantically in my bag before I finally find it hiding beneath the stack of job pamphlets I had shoved in their earlier. I sighed in relief.

'The Unspeakables are very secretive, would you mind keeping secrets all the time?' Flitwicks muffled voice came out from under the desk again. I nod even though it was a rhetorical question. It's what I do every day not that he knows. 'Hmmm.' Flitwick hums coming up and hopping onto his high stool. 'Do you know which area of the Unspeakables do you want to go into?'

'The thoughts chamber.' I say, fidgeting around in my seat. Flitwick then proceeds to discard three-quarters of the sheets of papers that he had brought up to the desk.

'Oh. Is that the chamber that investigates thoughts and emotions?' Flitwick asks. I nod again. My voice doesn't seem to be working right at this moment. 'It's a very hard ordeal to go through to get excepted.' Flitwick says shuffling the rejected pamphlets into a pile. 'If you get excepted you'll have three years of training.' Flitwick looks at me over the top of his glasses and rubs his hands together. 'Would that be something you'd like to do?'

I shake my head. Yes.

'The last person to get excepted was...' Flitwicks hands drum on the old garnish wooden desk. 'Five years ago I think. You'll need a minimum of five NEWT all above exceed expectations, then you'll have three years of training to go through. Now where did I put your grades...'

Flitwick searches his desk, lifting up papers and essays. I catch a glimpse of the name Lily Evans with a big Outstanding next to it written in blue ink. He shuffles my files searching for the grades. 'With wand making you need quiet a lot of skill and dedication, usually people only go in if their family's in the business.' He says while looking underneath a bronze hollowed out tree carving, looking closer I realise the carvings on the trees were names.

'Well,' Professor Flickwick starts pulling out a sheet of paper. 'I'd advise NEWT Charms, Ancient Runes, Potions, Astronomy and Alchemy the Unspeakables.' Professor Flitwick looks at me over his glasses as he shuffles my files and finds my grades.

'Well, I know that all your grade are either exceed expectations or Outstanding do you'll get into all you NEWT classes.' Flickwick smiles at me. 'Keep up the good work. With Alchemy you can take it in sixth and seventh form if you'd like. It's fine if you want to change your career choice, come to my office anytime for a chat.'

Flitwick puts all my files away and nods at me. 'That wasn't as stressful as you'd thought wasn't it?' I shake my head. 'Off you trot. I think you have Potions.' I nod and walk out the classroom. My heart is thudding in my chest and my footsteps feel heavy as I make my way into the dungeons and sit next to Flo.

'How did it go?' Flo asks. She flicks her hair back and stirs the calming draught, leaning forward to read the textbook instructions.

'Good.'

—

The end of term feast is spectacular. Some seventh years are crying and promising to see each other at graduation. Flo and I are happily talking and laughing at the very far end of the table. Flo has done very well in her exams and so have I, I a,ready know that we both have Exceed Expectations or higher in everything. Right now Flo's talking to me about how Rodger asked her out which I've already heard a billion times.

I look over at the Gryffindor table where James and Sirius were fooling around with plastic spoons, Remus is talking with Lily Evens, I roll my eyes as James messes up his hair with a sneaky look in her direction. Peters trying to join in, waving his knife around like a madman. They're celebrating, they won the house cup after all, mostly thanks to the quiddich final when Geyffindor narrowly beat Slytherin.

At the Slytherin table I spot Regulus conversing quietly with Rosier. He doesn't seem happy about the house cup if the glares he's sending Sirius mean anything. Suddenly I know, I know what's going to happen this summer. I know what's going to happen in the a lack household, what terrible dark things will happen to Sirius if he doesn't bend down to the dark lord.

My knife slips out of my hand and drops with a clatter onto the floor, but with all the sound no one notices and I remain invisible. I gently pick it up, Flo not noticing that my face is white and my hands are trembling.

As we finish the feast Flo is still chatting, I see Sirius in the distance and I grab her shoulders.

'Flo. I need to talk to Sirius about something. Walk to the Ravenclaw tower without me.' I say, I look around and see Rodger. 'Walk with Rodger.'

I don't give her a second backwards glance as I sprint off to find Sirius. I catch him just as he's rounding a corner laughing with his friends.

'Hey.' I grab his shoulder panting. He turns around surprised. 'Sirius, I need to talk to you.'

'Er, yeah sure.' He waves his friends off, James and Remus looking at me concerned, Peter had already gone. 'What's up?'

'Are you going back home for summer?' I ask. My fingers fidget behind my back and I'm chewing the inside of my cheek. Sirius blew out his cheeks and sighed.

'I have to don't I.' He says miserably.

'No,' I shake my head frantically. 'No you don't. Sirius, please, please, please don't go home this summer.' I grab his arms and stare beseeching at him. 'Bad things will happen. Sirius they will force you to join the dark lord. Please run away, go somewhere, go to James's house. Please. Just don't go back home for the summer.'

Sirius stares at me weirdly. 'Look, I want to run away, but I can't, I have no money, I can't just relay in James parents to pay for everything.'

'You'll come across some money soon, your Uncle will see to it. Sirius, you don't know what they'll do to you, you have to run away as soon as possible.'

Sirius gently tugs my hands off his arms and smiles at me. 'Sophie, it's nice that you care. But, I'm fine, I can take care about myself. I'll leave at eighteen and find work somewhere.' He gives me a wolffish grin. 'See, I've got everything figured out, you've got nothing to worry about.'

I stare defiantly at him. 'Fine, don't listen to me. But, when you do run away-' Sirius rolls his eyes, 'make sure you still keep in contact with Regulus because when you're gone he'll be under a lot of pressure to be a death eater and you know where that'll lead.'

Sirius frowns and is about to speak when James comes along pulling Sirius in to talking excitedly about finding Snape or something, they round the corner and dissapear. I groan and bury my head in my hands, I haven't convinced Sirius to run away, at least he knows about Regulus though. A couple of students pass me and see me clutching my hair. I glare at them and run a hand through my choppy brown hair. He's going to in one hell of a summer.

I trudge defeatedly back to the Ravenclaw common room.

—

 **Authors note.**

 **Hey guys it's FanaticFudge. :) I forgot to mention what Sophie looks like, she has choppy brown hair, brown eyes, tall and has a average build. Flo has long blonde hair, blue eyes, a bit taller than average height and small slim bones. I was just wondering what do you think of this story? Thanks, Bye :)**


	5. Sixth Year Part 1

div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I sit on the rumbling train, I can see the countryside whizz by as the smell of the sweet trolley passes us. I'm waiting for James's reaction to his head boy badge, he hasn't started shouting it out to the heavens yet, maybe he's calmed down already. I smile, Flo eats her way into a pumpkin pasty as she searches for her homework planner./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'We have to start our study diary. We don't want to get left behind.' Flo says with a mouth-full of food, she brings out a small red notebook and plan and starts scribbling into it. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I'm going to check on Sirius. You do this while I'm gone.' I say standing up, Flo nods, her head bent over the homework planner, long blonde hair falling over her face./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I open the door and make my way towards the end of the carriage, I pass the Slytherin carriage and see Regulus inside, we lock eyes as I pass. I blush, he looks away, my blush intensifies when I see a hint of redness on his cheeks. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"The end compartments are full of loud Gryffindors, I finally open the door to their carriage. The marauders must be happy to have magic again since the carriage is decked out in Gryffindor colours and the are balloons and whizzing objects inside. It looks like a small party./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Sirius and James are roaring loud with laughter as Remus is slapping his knee and covering his mouth with his hand muffling the snickers coming out. A trunk pops open and out comes a red-faced Peter, James starts laughing even harder, leaning on Sirius's shoulder for support, even I start giggling at that./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Finally they notice me. Sirius sheepishly looks at me, he knows that I was telling the truth last year, the bad things did come to pass. James immediatly bounces over to me and thrusts his head boy badge in my face./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I'm head boy!' He shouts in my ear. 'Did you know?' James looks excited. I nod and he whoops in joy. Peter's still trying to get out the trunk./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Dumbledores gone mad.' Sirius says rolling his eyes and coming up to ruffle James hair. 'He's gone daft in the head to make James head boy.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"James puffs out his chest. 'I'm going to take this serious though. I'm going to make sure Dumbledore chose correctly.' He walks back and sits back into his seat, pulling Sirius with him. 'How's it going Sophie?' /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I tuck my short choppy brown hair behind my ear, I had had it cut this summer. 'I was just wondering how your summers went?'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Good.' Remus shrugs. 'We stayed at James's place for a bit.' He bites the end of a black and red liquorice wand and offers one to me, I shake my head./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Yeah. Sirius came around early July though.' James puts an arm around Sirius and tugs him towards him, he ruffles Sirius's hair. 'He span style="font-style: italic;"finally/span ran away from home, he's staying with me now. I bet my mum already likes him better than me.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"The look in Sirius's eye is so heart-achingly broken with a hint of envy as James says those words. He wishes that his parents love him just as much as James parents love James./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'How about you?' Remus asks politely./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Good.' I say, I can hear footsteps drawing closer before stopping. All I know is it's a Slytherin, I hope there're not looking for trouble, I glance anxiously back into the corridor. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I visited a small town around the middle of England for a week, my great aunt lives there,' I shrug, 'so, you know.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"James groans and burns his face in his hands. His hands run through his messy black hair. 'Lily live in the middle of England.' He moans./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Oi mate!' Sirius says slapping James on the back. 'Forget about her. There are so many other birds out there.' He puts an arm around James and stretches out his hand as if he's seeing his name in bright bold letters. 'I can show you a world you've never seen before.' Sirius wolffishly grins at James. 'Cheer up.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I think I might give up on her.' James mutters brokenly. Everything stops, Sirius looks shocked, he obviously didn't think James would actually take his advice. Even Peter who was still in the middle of trying to get out the trunk stops and looks on astounded. Remus looks at me in a are-you-sure-James-isn't-crazy way, I shrug./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Woah, mate.' Sirius says holding up his hands. 'I didn't think you'll go this far.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Yeah,' Remus adds on with wide eyes. 'You've been chasing Lily for years, why now?'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'She hates me.' James says with a sad frown. 'She hates my guts. I should just give up and leave her alone. She's never going to say yes.' He rubs his face with his hands and blows out a sigh./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'But...' Peters voice trailed off. 'You've span style="font-style: italic;"always/span liked Lily.' /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"A shocked silence is left in the air as everyone stares at James. His head lies in his hands, he looks up at Peter, his glasses are crooked and his smile is a bit forced, he looks like someone who had just been defeated by a long awaited enemy./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I can't imagine you span style="font-style: italic;"not/span liking Lily.' Peter says quietly./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Don't get me wrong.' James says looking around. 'I still love her. I'm just... going to give her up. It's no use.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Sirius looks astonished. 'Are you sure prongs?' /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Yeah.' James says glumly. 'You guys must have known for ages that she'll never go out with me. It's useless. I should've given up ages ago.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'She will go out with you.' I burst. Everyone looks at me. I can see a hint of hope in James's deafeated brown eyes. 'Just act yourself around her. Become her friend. I guarantee you will become her boyfriend by the end of the year.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"The air is thick with silence. James looks at me and croaks out, 'really?' I nod./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"James gives a shout of joy and jumps up and down in the air doing a jig. He picks me up and swings me around in the cramped compartment screaming, 'YES!' I laugh out loud in delight and happiness, ducking my head to avoid the ceiling. When he finally puts me down his smile is wide and he looks like the happiest man in the world./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I'M GOING TO DATE LILY EVENS!' James shouts. I know that everyone on the train heard and somewhere Lily is putting her head in her hands./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Sirius and Remus clap James on the back and join in on the whoops and hollers. Peters still trying to get out of the trunk, I take pity on him and pull him out./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Why didn't you tell me sooner?' James grins picking up his wand and sending miniature fireworks into the air, the compartment is now filled with hues of red, blue and gold./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I shrug. 'You would have figured it out on your own anyway.' I pick up a sugar quill and make my way out. 'I'm going to go now. Bye!' I shout over the noise./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I shut the door and make my way back but before I had stepped two feet a voice stopped me./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'How did you know that Potter was going to get the mudblood?' A person steps out of the shadows of the Marauders compartment doorway. A wave of aristocratic features, black hair and elegant posture hit me like a truck and I'm dizzy, heat rushing to my cheeks. It's Regulus Black./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'You were listening?' I ask, I can't concentrate, everything seems to be going to fast and I'm nervous, words just blurting out of my mouth like a fright train./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Regulus rolls his eyes elegantly and twirls his wands between his fingers, I can tell it was meant to be threatening. I notice a red hue on his cheeks, is he blushing? 'Of course.' He says with sarcasm laced with venom. He raises a sharp accented dark eyebrow with a bored smile and I can tell he's waiting a answer to his original question./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I didn't. I just said it.' My voice sounds croaky. I clear my throat making a odd gargling noise, Regulus looks unimpressed. I am really not making a good impression./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Oh. Then why did Sirius say that you knew that he would run away before he did?' His sharp smile mocks me as he knows that he's got me trapped. First the marauders find out and now span style="font-style: italic;"him/span, I inwardly groan./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I collect my wits and answer with a clear mind, 'I really don't know what you're talking about.' I give him a confused glance. 'I would really like to get back to my compartment now. Thanks.' I try to sound confident and exsparated but I think he sees through it by the knowing smile he has./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'That span style="font-style: italic;"blood-traitor/span also said how he would come across money soon, he didn't need his inheritance.' Regulus sharp stormy grey eyes seem to break into my soul. 'A few days later he gets Uncle Alphards Will. A coincidence?' He stares at me intently. I shrug. 'Sirius told me it was span style="font-style: italic;"you /spanthat said it. How did you know?'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I roll my eyes. 'I span style="font-style: italic;"really/span don't know what you're talking about.' I make my move to leave. We're not in close proximity but as he raises his finger I can imagine it tapping on my wrist./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'You know things. And I'm going to find out how and why.' Regulus says giving me a thoughtful look before walking away. I stare at his retreating back. Flo was right, how could I span style="font-style: italic;"like/span someone like him? I don't know. I just do. It's been this way since third year when he let me borrow a quill from in Astonomy./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I groan and make my way back to my compartment with Flo. This year is starting horribly. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"—/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"A month into the start of school and I can see why Dumbledore made James head boy. He is a natural leader — as shown when he is captain of the Gryffindor quiddich team — and he is fair as a head boy, anyone would think that James would take advantage but he doesn't. He's fair and understanding, especially when it comes to being in trouble. He has also lowered down the pranks a little, not doing them nearly as often or as cruel. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Lily has also noticed the change in James as well, expecting the return of the boy who acted like nothing but a 'toe-ragged prat' (in her opinion) she was greeted with a man who still enjoyed pranks but had a bit more understanding of what is right and what is wrong. James would act like nothing but a polite acquaintance to her and was gradually becoming her friend, I can tell Lily is shocked and is going to fall for him soon./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Sixth year you have a lot of stress put on you. Ravenclaws had to even ask the teacher to repeat the question in class twice while all the other houses sat in stupor. Fifth year paled in comparison to sixth year. There were tests every single week in every lesson, reviewing the topics we have learnt. Flo and I had already started making flashcards to help us in Potions, Charms and Ancient Runes, the only lessons we were taking together. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Flo had dropped Astronomy since her career in metal-charming hadn't needed it while had taken up Alchemy which was in the dungeons with Professor Pye, it was apparently needed in the department of mysteries. It usually involved the four basic elements with undertones of potions to it./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Since potions were so hard before every single lesson I would tell Flo every single detail of what would happen, every test, every remark and everything that I knew would be in the exam. Flo and I reviewed this all the time and for all lessons./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I would help in the marauders pranks as well, occasionally when Remus would study in the library he would go and ask Flo and I questions about who to prank and how to do it. We would give them the best tips etc. As of right now./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I sit in the library with Flo at the table in the very end of the library, right next to the restricted area, there is hardly any noise except the rustle of papers, the occasional sneeze and hushed whispers. Our heads are both bent over as we test each other on potions with hushed whispering./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'What are the characteristics of the potion Amortenia?' Flo whispers to me holding a small blue card infront of her face, she hides the potions book we were studying before away from me as well./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Mother-of-pearl sheen, the steam is in spirals and doesn't cause actual love, just causes powerful infatuation from the drinker.' I say ticking them off my fingers./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Good.' Flo says nodding along to my points. 'Now, do me.' She puts her flashcards down and turns towards me with a bright smile. I close my Potions book./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Name the nine instructions to create felix felicis.' I say. Flo frowns, it's a hard question./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Flo starts ticking them off her fingers. 'One, you add Ashwinder egg, then horseradish and heat. Two, juice a squill bulb and add to cauldron then stir vigorously-' she is cut off when Remus appears looking hassled./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Bumped into Regulus in the way here.' Remus says explained his rumpled appearance. He raises an eyebrow. 'I heard him mutter your name as I went. Any ideas?'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I blushed and shook my head. 'I don't know people's emotions, only actions.' /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Remus nods. 'Well, Padfoot wants to prank the professors tonight with their food and it's really easy to do a charm on the food but we need to know which foods will be sent to the head table and which won't. The house elves are banned from telling us since the prank in third year.' Remus smiled while Flo and I snickered. Third year was a good year for pranking. I hear a rustle of books being pulled out from a bookshelf near us,/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'The food going to the professors will be right on the left side of the kitchen, right by that massive table. You'll see this house elf named Winkles, he has really big flappy ears and he'll be wearing all green. He'll be standing by the food.' I say gesturing with my hands./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Remus nods and mutters a thanks before leaving quickly./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Flo raises both eyebrows. 'That was quick.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I shrug. 'Probably had to get back to make sure Sirius hadn't burned the place down. Anyway, he'll be revising hard now. Well, he should be.' I say with a thoughtful frown. I pull out my flashcards, 'now where were we? Oh yeah, you were on number two on how to create feliz felicis using nine steps.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Flo lets out a groan./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"—/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I walk quickly towards the Owlery in the West tower where I know Sirius will be pranking the owls, next time the owls fly into the Great Hall they'll drop howlers which will bellow out limericks. James and Remus are coming later with the rest of the howlers, Peter's still doing the singing howlers./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I pass a couple sitting on a window ledge kissing, blonde hair was tangled in the boys fingers as they furiously make out. I scrunch up my nose in disgust, really? Why in the middle of a busy corridor? /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Just as I was about to walk away did I notice something familiar about the scarf the girl was wearing. That was the scarf I bought Flo! That was Flo and Rodger./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Flo?' I say in shock. I thought she was in the library./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"The couple immediatly broke apart. Flo looks flustered as she glances at me, Rodger fixes his tie and doesn't look me in the eye. There's a small silence./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Hey Sophie.' Flo says with embarrassment written all over her. 'What are you doing here?' She flattens her hair and dusts the imaginary lint of her shoulder./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Going to the Owlery.' I say. I break out into a grin and wink at Flo, ignoring Rodger completely. 'See you later.' I widen my eyes and give emphasis on my nod. Flo rolls her eyes, she knows I'll make her tell me everything later. I turn away and look at my watch. Only half an hour until quiet time./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I continue walking with a small skip in my step. People pass me by talking, I can see a group of Slytherins in the distance through the window hanging around the Whomping Willow. I shake my head remembering second year when poor Davey Gudgeon lost an eye trying to touch the bark./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Since the library was so busy there were a lot of seventh years studying on the Great Staircase or in random spots of the corridors. A group of Gryffindors were revising in a small circle in the floor, I had to step over their feet to carry on. A Ravenclaw with his head buried into a book hurried right past me, nearly hitting me if I had not turned in time. I look back and see him in a heap on the floor over the Gryffindors feet./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I finally reach the Owlery and climb the steps to get there. As I neared I heard Peters dreadful singing. I push open the door and I was greeted with a stricken Sirius Black covered in feathers holding a open howler. I hide a giggle as Peters awful singing continued. Sirius groans and begins attaching the howlers to random Owls. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"At my raised eyebrow he explains Peters singing in a loud voice to be heard. 'An Owl attacked me and the howler opened. I have to let it continue for it to stop.' He glares at the said animal who gives a haughty fluff of her brown feathers. 'Vicious creatures.' The owl nips Sirius with its beak, he yelps and glares even harder. Sirius takes another red howler out of the overflowing black sack he has at his feet and clips it onto a pure white owl who stare indigentlay at him. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I snickered. 'Look, I'll help.' I take some howlers from the back and began tying them to owls. Sirius sighs in relief and rubs his hands together./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I need a fag.' Sirius mutters pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and lighting it with his wand./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I can tell why all the girls go for Sirius. He's got a bad boy quality with his fags (as the latest trend is called) and leather jackets. He's marvellous at sweet talk as well and could charm even McGonagall into having his way. It doesn't help that he has the aristocratic features and the wealth to match./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"After five minutes Peters voice subsided and we both sighed in relief. I thought I was about to go mad. We tie the owls in silence for a moment before I speak up./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'So, when you ran away.' I say. Sirius looks up immediatly. 'What did you tell your family?' I ask hesitently, I didn't want to upset Sirius, I just wanted to see if Regulus was bluffing on the train./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Sirius shrugs uncaringly and takes the fag out of his mouth. 'Oh, things.' He ties another howler to a owl and blows out the smoke in great beg circles. I cough and wave my hands around my face as the smoke hits my face, Sirius smiles. 'I said how I'm going to run away, become independent, how I didn't need them. Things like that.' He turns his face away from me and bends down into the howler sack, rummaging around for another howler./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Oh. Did you say anything about me?' I ask. Sirius appears from the sack with a end howler clutched in his fist. He looks at me with a raised eyebrow questioning./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Noo. I don't think so. It was a long time ago, I try to forget about it. Why?' Sirius looks at me suspiciously. I put a temporarily sticking charm on the howler innocently./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I don't know. Just wondering.' /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"We work in silence for a moment before I speak again./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'You have contact with Regulus, right?' I ask./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Sirius sighs. 'Regulus hates me.' At my disapproving look he defends himself. 'I tried. When I ran away I told him that he could see me anytime if he was in trouble and he just looked and me and said, I span style="font-style: italic;"quote/span, 'why would I ever associate myself with a filthy blood-traitor like you.'' /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Sirius rolls his eyes and huffs in frustration as the howler he's tying on the owl is too fiddly. I wave my wand and put a temporarily sticking charm on it. I rub his back in sympathy./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Happens to the best of us.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'It's no big deal right? If Regulus doesn't want to see me anymore.' Sirius reaches for another howler. 'I know you said last year it's really important, but Regulus isn't span style="font-style: italic;"that/span stupid to get himself into anything that gives him a bad gut feeling.' Sirius grins. 'If I taught him anything it was that.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I nod even though I know he was trying to convince himself more than me. I hope that Regulus would go to Sirius when things go bad which I know that they will./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Did you know the hat wanted to put him in Ravenclaw?' Sirius asks. I shake my head, he grins smugly at me not knowing something. 'Yeah, I wasn't too shocked when I heard, Regulus was always the clever one, the one who would actually care about his grades. I was just disappointed that he chose Slytherin. One in a line of many other span style="font-style: italic;"stupid/span things that he has done.' He finishes it off with a frown. We work in silence for a moment before a take another look at the sack./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Dear Morgana.' I sigh and rub my face. 'How many Hogwarts students are there?' I look at the sack. It isn't overflowing anymore but it's still pretty full./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'These are only the people that have owls.' Sirius reminded me with a crooked grin blowing out smoke./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'span style="font-style: italic;"And/span James and Remus are coming up with more howlers.' I add looking around. The Owlery was filled with owls sitting on perches, the floor was strewn with straw and bird dropping. The smell reminds me of a wet barnyard that my uncle owns, I can hear owls cooing into the evening. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"A bang sounds behind the thick wooden entrance door, it sounds Sirius and I frown in harmony then look at each other before looking back at the door waiting for it to open. I raise an eyebrow at the still door, it hasn't opened, Sirius gives me a nod and we move towards the door. Only then did I notice a small slit in the door. Someone could have been listening./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Sirius opens it quickly, there was no one there, only a grey stone corridor and a smashed vase lying on the ground. It must have fallen of the grandfather clock standing right outside the entrance./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Sirius looks at me confused. 'Do you span style="font-style: italic;"know/span who was outside.' He looks back at the vase again and takes a drag out of his cigarette. The smoke rises in characteristics spirals./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I huff. 'I don't span style="font-style: italic;"know/span everything. Only some things.' I look at the vase. 'They must have run pretty quickly afterwards, they could've just mended the vase.' I waved my wand and murmured, 'reparo.' The vase fixed itself and Sirius put it gingerly back on top of the grandfather clock./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Yeah.' Sirius looks thoughtful. 'They must've known we would come out and check.' /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"We walked back into the Owlery closing the door firmly behind us./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'The door was open a bit as well.' I say, I pick up another howler but I'm distracted, I nearly tie it onto the owls beak before I realise what I'm doing. 'They could have been listening.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Sirius smirks, 'too bad they didn't hear anything interesting.' He says sarcastically./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'They probably didn't understand anything.' I say, trying to convince myself more than trying to convince Sirius. I cough as a plume of smoke blows in my face. 'Sirius!' /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Sirius gives me a roguish grin. 'Sorry love.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I can really see why girls chase after him./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I roll up my sleeves. 'We better get this done quickly.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"—/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Christmas passes like a storm with presents and festive cheer. Most of the time I wished I had spent Christmas at Hogwarts. Flo wasn't here, her parents had to go on a business trip to Asia taking Flo with them, it was a good opportunity for her since metal-charmers are well-known and have a lot of history in Asia./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"When I got back to Hogwarts I was ecstatic with joy. The train ride was filled with Flo and I talking about everything, Asia, metal-charmers, Rodger, her parents, everything. I went to go see the marauders for a bit to see how Remus was doing and when I got there I was in for a surprise for there was Lily Evens having the time of her life sitting next to James. They both looked so happy./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Remus told me in hushed whispers that they're only friends, it's obvious that Lily likes James but James is too scared to ask her out just in case Lily says no and then start hating him again. I rolled my eyes and told Remus that that was preposterous. I mean, she dealt with Snape all these years and he still had a crush on her./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"At school we were given more work than ever. That's why on a lovely rare sunny Sunday morning I'm sitting in the library while everyone else is outside. I couldn't study outside, it was to noisy and the sun made me sleepy. Flo was spending the day with Rodger, apparently he was a marvellous kisser when I knew for a fact that he wasn't. I grinned then buried my head in my arms groaning, I hate Alchemy, it's so similar to Potions yet so different./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Need help?' A smooth voice sounds to me from my quiet corner of the library filled with studious Ravenclaws. It's Regulus Black and he's leaning on the table right next to him. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'No, I'm fine.' I say quickly. I turn my face away so he wouldn't see the blush, I try and will it away. It fades down which was better than our last meeting./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Hmmm, and I thought you knew things.' I frown at him but he just bends down to have a look at my Alchemy questions with calm elegance. 'I think... wow, that is hard.' He looks shocked as if he's never seen anything this difficult before. He scans all the questions, the blood leaving his face rapidly, his eyes get a glint of nervousness. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Was this our homework?' He asks with wide eyes. All the calm composure and elegance before gone, I look at him as if seeing him with new light, who knew homework could get Regulus Black all up in a tiff. I hide a smile and tuck my brown hair behind my ear, it just flows infront of my face again. Sometimes I hate having short hair (even though it was down to my shoulders) the choppiness doesn't help./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Yeah.' I say burying my head in my hands. 'And it's due tomorrow.' I moan and look up at my unfinished homework again, it lies on the tables, mocking me./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Regulus is looking at me with wide shocked eyes, he then looks down at his bag and begins rummaging furiously in it, muttering before pulling a chair out and sitting in it./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I never knew this.' Regulus whispers shocked, looking at the paper held in his hands infront of him, he places it on the table and gets his supreme limited edition quill from his bag./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Now it's my turn to look at him with wide eyes. Regulus Black just sat right next to me. I turn away and bury my head into my Alchemy text book./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Regulus looks at his paper in worried confusion. 'Did we even span style="font-style: italic;"learn /spanthis?' He asks looking confused. I shrug, I don't think I know how to answer./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Regulus writes down all the answers he knew. Which wasn't a lot, so he knew as much as me. I scratches his head and frowns at question eight. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Do you know this one?' He asks, tapping question eight./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I've looked through all the books and I can't find out this question.' I say shaking my head. Regulus looks over at my paper and points to question twenty five with a satisfied smile./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I know this one. It's Nicholus Flamel. Dumbledore used to work with him. He says. We both write down the answer. I can see how Sirius said that Regulus would have made a good Ravenclaw. He must really care about his grades, more so than other Ravenclaws I know./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"An hour later I've forgotten that the person sitting next to me was span style="font-style: italic;"Regulus Black, /spanthe boy I have had a crush on for years. Now he's just Regulus Black, a normal person, the boy who's not very sociable and cares a lot about his grades. When he's worried or stressed his whole mask fades. We've been helping each other out with all the questions, turns out we're actually quiet a good team, this make my insides curl up in joy./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'And we're done.' I close up my book with a happy grin. 'Good work partner.' I raise my hand for a high-five. Regulus just stares at it like an alien. Only then did I remember that we've finished, there's no reason for him to stick around anymore./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Regulus lightly taps my hand as I look on at him surprised. He actually high-fived me. I thought that was too low for a pure-blood like himself to do./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'We do not mention this.' Regulus's mask is back on, he packs his things and stands up abruptly with a red tinge to his face, identical to my own. Just as he walks away he turns back. 'Thank you for helping me. You didn't need to.' Then he goes in a whoosh of handsome features and strict poise./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I feel giddy and I can't stop smiling./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"—/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"The next Sunday morning I'm in the Library again, still finding an empty table in the very corner hidden by the restricted section. I start working on my Alchemy again. Last week when I handed my homework in Professor Pye was impressed, apparently Regulus and I were the only ones that actually completed it./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I chew the end of my quill, why is Alchemy so hard? I scrunch up the currant parchment I'm writing on in fustration and grab a new one./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Suddenly a shadow appears over me. It's Regulus again and he looks unsure holding his Alchemy homework, I can see the crossings and scribbles even from here./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"He sits down next to me and we start to work together. Helping each other and by the time the hour is over we've finished and we go our own way./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Soon every Sunday morning becomes the Sunday where I would sit down in the Library starting on my Alchemy. A few minutes later Regulus would join me and we would start to work together. Pretty soon we not just working together, we ask each other questions about ones life and talk about everything and anything. I'm actually getting to know the real Regulus and not just the cold Slytherin Prince that he portrays./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Quickly every Sunday morning becomes every Sunday morning, lunchtime and noon. Then every Sunday becomes every Sunday and Saturaday, then Wednesday joins. Soon it's every lunchtime or whenever we can we'll just meet in the table in the corner of the Library hidden by the restricted section./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"No one notices. Only Flo hangs around me and she's always with Rodger then, the marauders do their own business, only asking me whenever they need help with a prank, though I swear one time when I went on my way to the library James gave me a thumbs up. I frowned at him while he just winked at me before Remus smacked his head./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I can tell that Regulus knows about the me knowing things, but we don't talk about it. We don't even acknowledge it except when I say something and Regulus responds with, 'oh, do you span style="font-style: italic;"know/span it?' Or something along the lines of that. It was a very peaceful and fun friendship./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"One day on a Wednesday evening I was sitting on my usual table in the Library seeing if Regulus would come or not. The Easter holidays had just finished, I remember loads of Sixth and Seventh years went home this year. Hardly anyone goes home at the Easter holidays but apparatus toy this year was the time to go home at Easter. I wish I know why. Regulus hadn't appeared yet in the library.p so I was stuck with answered homework. I never noticed how much I relied on Regulus to correct me or to tell me when I was wrong, which wasn't a lot since I span style="font-style: italic;"know /spanquite a lot of things./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I had trouble with my Charms and since Flo was with Rodger I was hoping Regulus could help even though he hadn't shown up on either Monday or Tuesday. Flo knows about Regulus's and I's blooming friendship, she still doesn't like him but she's happy with it. Whenever I get back she always needs to know all the details. I groaned as I had to cross out yet another mistake, my page was blotchy, I resigned to just reading through the work first./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Footsteps sound around the bookshelf. Regulus appears looking hassled and worried. As soon as he saw me I can tell a mask was on, his face showed no emotion./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Hey Regulus.' I say patting the seat next to me. To say we have become acquaintances is an understatement, I would say friends is a better term, which I'm so happy about. 'Where've you been?'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Immediatly as soon as I said the words I know where he has been. Where all the Slytherins have been. I look at Regulus in horror, his eyes widen and I catch him unconciously rubbing his left forearm./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'You've... You've got the... You're already...' I say. My voice trails off at the start of every sentence although we both know where they're leading./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Regulus stands up quickly. 'You tell anyone-' his face is haggard and lined with lines. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I touch his arm. 'I won't. Trust me. I know.' I shuffle my charms papers. There's an odd silence which hasn't happened for a long time now./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'All the Slytherins...' I trail off again. Regulus nods and pulls out the charms. He hasn't made a scratch on it./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Well, I carry on ignoring the elephant in the room. 'I've made a mess of my charms papers. Do you think you can help?' I push the half written essay towards Regulus. He takes in the crosses and ink blots./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'So you're.' He gestures and widens his eyes. 'Not going to say anything. You don't care. You don't want to know.' He seems confused, I really don't mind, he can tell me in his own time. /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I shrug. 'I don't really mind.' I take back my badly written charms paper./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Some people would find that answer really annoying.' Regulus drawls, tapping his quill against his piece of new parchment. He's got perfect poise and everything about him is elegant, his hair, his fingers, his teeth, his clothes. While Sirius is a bad boy Regulus is the complete opposite, always wanting to make everyone happy, always wanting to live up to expectations even if it meant consequences to himself. Sirius doesn't care while Regulus cares too much./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Well, I'm glad your not some people.' I quip back with a smile. Blush rises to my cheeks and I avoid looking at Regulus but I take a sneak peek and I see he's looking away as well. I sigh./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"After a moment of comfortable silence Regulus says, 'you know when you were in the Owlery with Sirius. It was me that accidently pushed over the vase. I was listening.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"I shrug. 'I know. I realised in our study session when we revising the polyjuice potion. You said something and I just remembered.' I flipped the page in the charms book infront of me./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I was also the person listening when Remus was asking your help for pranks.' He says./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'I know that one as well.' I smirk at him. 'I span style="font-style: italic;"know/span quite a lot of stuff. Don't test me.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Regulus opened his mouth again but I beat him to it. 'And I span style="font-style: italic;"know/span you were spying on me to get evidence to see how I know things.' I shrug. 'I just know it. Anyway, do you know any other advantages to a non-verbal spell other that it the opponent no idea what spell you're using and by that, split-second advantage.' I look at him leaning my head into my palm, my arm resting on the table. My other hand was writing./div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"Regulus looks at me shocked. 'Well you do know how to change a conversation. And no, there're no other advantages... I don't think.' He frowns and flips through his charms book. 'No, no other advantages. You're good.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"'Thanks.'/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"—/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"span style="font-weight: bold;"Authors note/span/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"span style="font-weight: bold;" /span/div  
div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 16px;"span style="font-weight: bold;"Hey guys it's FanaticFudge. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I put in a little Regulus and Sophie. I'm sure some of you might think Regulus is a bit out of character but we don't know much about him only that he defied Voldemort, Sirius brother and he was in Slytherin. So I'm sure that sometimes he acted all cold and harsh but if you get to know him he'll be just like a normal person. So I wanted to show Regulus as a normal person. Thanks for reading. Bye. :)/span/div 


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